Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 October 2020. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 179 reports across 117 distinct numbers in Victoria - a notable decrease of 44% compared to September 2020.
The leading classification was Uncertain at 29%.
Most reports came from Melbourne, followed by Dandenong and Craigieburn.
VIC's 25% scam rate sat 20 points below the national average of 45%.
Uncertain and Spam 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.
Uncertain led at 29% in October 2020, compared to Spam at 37% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in Victoria with the most reports this month.
Melbourne generated 116 reports - more than double Dandenong's 18. See the area pages above or the VIC data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to September 2020, Victoria saw a notable decrease of 44% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
The 44% drop in October is substantial. This often follows a particularly active prior month - elevated periods tend to revert.
Notable Changes
Uncertain made up 29% of classified reports in October, with scam at 25%.
Even with the 44% drop statewide, Melbourne still logged 116 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
10 numbers in VIC picked up multiple reports in a short period this month, which typically indicates active call campaigns.
Flagged numbers averaged 6 reports each, meaning multiple people encountered them independently.
Reports on these numbers came from multiple areas across VIC, 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 2020. 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 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 1-31 October 2020. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to Victoria (VIC).
- Period: 1-31 October 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.