Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-30 September 2021. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 111 reports across 60 distinct numbers in South Australia - a slight decrease of 8% compared to August 2021.
The leading classification was Scam at 50%.
Most reports came from Adelaide, followed by Mount Barker and Bunbury.
SA's 50% scam rate ran 8 points above the national average of 42% this month.
Beyond scam, Uncertain and Nuisance account for a notable share of what SA residents reported. 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 50% in September 2021, compared to 60% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in South Australia with the most reports this month.
Adelaide generated 93 reports - more than double Mount Barker's 11. See the area pages above or the SA data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to August 2021, South Australia saw a slight decrease of 8% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
September dipped 8% from the prior month. Small drops typically reflect a quieter campaign cycle rather than any reduction in scam activity overall.
Notable Changes
Scam accounted for 50% of classified reports in September.
Report distribution across South Australia stayed consistent, with Adelaide (93) and Mount Barker (11) on top.
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 5 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 September 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 August 2021 - 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 1-30 September 2021. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to South Australia (SA).
- Period: 1-30 September 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 SA data dashboard.