Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 May 2021. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 611 reports across 315 distinct numbers in New South Wales - a significant increase of 39% compared to April 2021.
The leading classification was Scam at 44%.
Most reports came from Sydney, followed by Newcastle and Penrith.
NSW's 44% scam rate tracked close to the national average of 48%.
Beyond scam, Uncertain and Spam account for a notable share of what NSW residents reported. The NSW data dashboard has up-to-date numbers and classifications.
Classification Breakdown
How people in NSW classified the numbers they reported this month.
Scam led at 44% in May 2021, compared to 36% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in New South Wales with the most reports this month.
Sydney generated 361 reports - more than double Newcastle's 127. See the area pages above or the NSW data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to April 2021, New South Wales saw a significant increase of 39% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
May saw a 39% jump in reports compared to the prior month. Spikes this size usually trace back to one or two high-volume campaigns entering the dataset.
Notable Changes
Scam accounted for 44% of classified reports in May.
Sydney (361 reports) and Newcastle (127) remained the busiest areas despite the overall increase.
Trends & Observations
Several numbers collected reports in a short time frame and were quickly classified as scam by contributors.
Numbers Picking Up Reports Quickly
10 numbers in NSW picked up multiple reports in a short period this month, which typically indicates active call campaigns.
Flagged numbers averaged 20 reports each, meaning multiple people encountered them independently.
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 May 2021. 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 April 2021 - 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 May 2021. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to New South Wales (NSW).
- Period: 1-31 May 2021.
- 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.