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Aussies lose more to scams as the dark web economy thrives on forgeries and complete digital identities.
Scam losses in Australia are on the rise, and forged identity documents are in higher demand than ever, according to new research from auditing body BDO.
The company’s latest Australian Scam Culture Report has revealed scam losses rose to $353 million over the 2025 financial year, a rise of $24 million over the previous reporting period.
Email and online delivery are the most common platforms for scammers, with online scams alone accounting for more than $158 million in losses, and email scams costing Australians $57 million.
Employment-related scams rose by 46 per cent, but the figures are merely part of a bigger story, according to BDO forensic services partner Stan Gallo, and that story starts on the dark web.
“Behind every scam statistic is an economy that profits from our personal information,” Gallo said in a statement.
“The dark web has matured into a structured, global marketplace where stolen identities are traded like commodities. As the price of that data climbs, so does the motivation to steal it.”
BDO’s research found that the cost of a forged Australian passport doubled over the last 12 months, now costing approximately $2,582, while forged driver’s licenses tripled in cost to $1,599.
What hackers refer to as “fullz ID” profiles – complete packages, including names, addresses, and banking details, for instance – also rose in value, reaching record prices, according to BDO.
Despite the rising costs, the market for such data is bustling, Gallo said, as real-world scammers look for more and more identity data to fuel their crimes.
“The link between scam losses and the dark web economy is undeniable,” Gallo said.
“Once your information is out there, it’s bought, sold and repurposed endlessly. That’s why prevention and verification matter as much as detection.
“Australians need to rethink the sense of urgency around actions before clicking, sharing or transferring money. Stop. Think. Act. Because the true cost of your identity has never been higher.”
You can read the full BDO report here.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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