Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 December 2019. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 150 reports across 114 distinct numbers in New South Wales - a slight decrease of 11% compared to November 2019.
The leading classification was Uncertain at 27%.
Most reports came from Sydney, followed by Wollongong and Newcastle.
NSW's 23% scam rate tracked close to the national average of 23%.
Uncertain and Spam actually outpaced scam this month, making the overall classification mix broader than usual. The NSW data dashboard has up-to-date numbers and classifications.
Classification Breakdown
How people in NSW classified the numbers they reported this month.
Uncertain led at 27% in December 2019, compared to Spam at 24% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in New South Wales with the most reports this month.
Sydney generated 87 reports - more than double Wollongong's 10. See the area pages above or the NSW data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to November 2019, New South Wales saw a slight decrease of 11% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
December dipped 11% from the prior month. Small drops typically reflect a quieter campaign cycle rather than any reduction in scam activity overall.
Notable Changes
Uncertain made up 27% of classified reports in December, with scam at 23%.
Even with the 11% drop statewide, Sydney still logged 87 reports - the decline was spread across most areas.
Trends & Observations
Several numbers collected reports in a short time frame and were quickly classified as scam by contributors.
Numbers Picking Up Reports Quickly
9 numbers in NSW picked up multiple reports in a short period this month, which typically indicates active call campaigns.
Flagged numbers averaged 4 reports each, suggesting these campaigns are still in early stages.
Reports on these numbers came from multiple areas across NSW, which points to automated dialling rather than calls targeting a single region.
Mixed Classifications
Some numbers got both scam and non-scam reports during December 2019. This can happen when a legitimate number is being spoofed, when a business number starts getting used for something else, or when people simply aren't sure what the call was about. These are worth keeping an eye on.
Previous Month's Flagged Numbers
Numbers that were trending in November 2019 - did they continue or go quiet?
Safety Tips
- Don't call back unknown 02 numbers without checking them first.
- The ATO, Centrelink, and Medicare won't threaten you over the phone. If someone claims to be from a government agency, hang up and call the official number yourself.
- Don't tap payment or delivery links in texts from numbers you don't recognise.
- Got a suspicious call? Report it - every report helps other people in New South Wales.
- Look up numbers on Reverseau before calling back.
How We Compiled This
Built from community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 December 2019. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to New South Wales (NSW).
- Period: 1-31 December 2019.
- Classifications: Chosen by the person who reported the number.
- Limitations: This is what people reported, not verified telecom records. Volume depends on how many people use the platform.
More detail on our methodology page. Full dataset on the NSW data dashboard.