Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 October 2022. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 2,471 reports across 1,371 distinct numbers in New South Wales - a significant increase of 31% compared to September 2022.
The leading classification was Uncertain at 26%.
Most reports came from Sydney, followed by Newcastle and Albury.
NSW's 22% scam rate sat 11 points below the national average of 33%.
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 26% in October 2022, compared to 25% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in New South Wales with the most reports this month.
Sydney generated 1974 reports - more than double Newcastle's 91. See the area pages above or the NSW data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to September 2022, New South Wales saw a significant increase of 31% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
October saw a 31% 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
Uncertain made up 26% of classified reports in October, with scam at 22%.
Sydney (1974 reports) and Newcastle (91) 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 16 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 October 2022. 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 September 2022 - 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 October 2022. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to New South Wales (NSW).
- Period: 1-31 October 2022.
- 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.