Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 May 2023. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 531 reports across 252 distinct numbers in South Australia - a significant increase of 78% compared to April 2023.
The leading classification was Scam at 33%.
Most reports came from Adelaide, followed by Kingscote and Bunbury.
SA's 33% scam rate tracked close to the national average of 35%.
Uncertain and Spam actually outpaced scam this month, making the overall classification mix broader than usual. The SA data dashboard has up-to-date numbers and classifications.
Classification Breakdown
How people in SA classified the numbers they reported this month.
Scam led at 33% in May 2023, compared to 39% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in South Australia with the most reports this month.
Adelaide generated 478 reports - more than double Kingscote's 21. See the area pages above or the SA data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to April 2023, South Australia saw a significant increase of 78% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
May saw a 78% 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 33% of classified reports in May.
Adelaide (478 reports) and Kingscote (21) 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 SA picked up multiple reports in a short period this month, which typically indicates active call campaigns.
Flagged numbers averaged 12 reports each, meaning multiple people encountered them independently.
Reports on these numbers came from multiple areas across SA, 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 2023. 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 2023 - did they continue or go quiet?
Safety Tips
- Don't call back unknown 08 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 South Australia.
- Look up numbers on Reverseau before calling back.
How We Compiled This
Built from community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 May 2023. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to South Australia (SA).
- Period: 1-31 May 2023.
- 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 SA data dashboard.