Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-30 November 2020. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 142 reports across 117 distinct numbers in Victoria - a notable decrease of 21% compared to October 2020.
The leading classification was Scam at 32%.
Most reports came from Melbourne, followed by Ringwood and Eltham.
VIC's 32% scam rate sat 12 points below the national average of 44%.
Uncertain and Nuisance actually outpaced scam this month, making the overall classification mix broader than usual. The VIC data dashboard has up-to-date numbers and classifications.
Classification Breakdown
How people in VIC classified the numbers they reported this month.
Scam led at 32% in November 2020, compared to Uncertain at 29% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in Victoria with the most reports this month.
Melbourne generated 95 reports - more than double Ringwood's 13. See the area pages above or the VIC data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to October 2020, Victoria saw a notable decrease of 21% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
The 21% drop in November is substantial. This often follows a particularly active prior month - elevated periods tend to revert.
Notable Changes
Scam accounted for 32% of classified reports in November.
Even with the 21% drop statewide, Melbourne still logged 95 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
4 numbers in VIC 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 VIC, which points to automated dialling rather than calls targeting a single region.
Previous Month's Flagged Numbers
Numbers that were trending in October 2020 - did they continue or go quiet?
Safety Tips
- Don't call back unknown 03 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 Victoria.
- Look up numbers on Reverseau before calling back.
How We Compiled This
Built from community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-30 November 2020. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to Victoria (VIC).
- Period: 1-30 November 2020.
- 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 VIC data dashboard.