Australians are increasingly falling victim to scams during major life events such as buying property, searching for work, and lodging tax returns, according to new research from TrendLife, Trend Micro’s consumer business unit.
The company's Digital Life and AI Experiences study, which surveyed more than 10,000 consumers across nine countries, including more than 1,000 Australians, found one in five Australians had either been scammed or knew someone close to them who had been scammed while making a major purchase or investment, such as a home or car.
Job recruitment processes, government benefit or tax applications, moving house, and starting a new job also ranked among the most common scenarios exploited by scammers.
The research suggests younger Australians are particularly vulnerable despite being more digitally fluent. Consumers aged between 18 and 34 were more likely to encounter scams during these high-pressure life events, while also being less likely to adopt basic cyber safety practices such as verifying organisations, enabling privacy settings, or using identity protection services.
“Major life moments like job interviews or buying a house often involve big decisions and unfamiliar parties,” Lynette Owens, vice president of Consumer Education and Marketing at TrendLife, said in a statement.
“That’s exactly what scammers exploit. These attacks feel more convincing because they’re tied to real events in people’s lives, when they are already sharing sensitive information.”
The report also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in consumers' daily lives. Nearly two in five Australians said they use AI tools to help navigate significant life events, while almost half share personal information during these interactions.
However, despite widespread adoption, confidence in identifying AI-enabled scams remains mixed. Twenty-one per cent of respondents said they were not confident they could recognise an AI-generated scam, while only 22 per cent said they were very or extremely confident.
At the same time, 44 per cent expressed strong concerns about the safety of information shared with AI tools, rising to 57 per cent among Australians aged over 65.
“AI is quickly becoming part of how Australians make decisions and manage important life moments, but it isn’t risk-free,” Owens said.
Owens urged consumers to carefully consider what personal information they share with AI tools and to verify important financial or identity-related advice through trusted sources before acting.
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David Hollingworth
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.