Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-31 October 2021. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 786 reports across 412 distinct numbers in Victoria - a notable decrease of 46% compared to September 2021.
The leading classification was Scam at 28%.
Most reports came from Melbourne, followed by Point Cook and Eltham.
VIC's 28% scam rate sat 12 points below the national average of 40%.
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.
Scam led at 28% in October 2021, compared to 29% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in Victoria with the most reports this month.
Melbourne generated 391 reports - more than double Point Cook's 74. See the area pages above or the VIC data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to September 2021, Victoria saw a notable decrease of 46% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
The 46% drop in October is substantial. This often follows a particularly active prior month - elevated periods tend to revert.
Notable Changes
Scam accounted for 28% of classified reports in October.
Even with the 46% drop statewide, Melbourne still logged 391 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 13 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 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 September 2021 - 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 2021. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to Victoria (VIC).
- Period: 1-31 October 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 VIC data dashboard.