Executive Summary
Based on community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-29 February 2020. Classifications and patterns below come directly from what people reported.
Contributors submitted 55 reports across 32 distinct numbers in Western Australia - a slight decrease of 13% compared to January 2020.
The leading classification was Scam at 45%.
Most reports came from Perth, followed by Armadale and Balla.
WA's 45% scam rate ran 25 points above the national average of 20% this month.
Beyond scam, Uncertain and Spam account for a notable share of what WA residents reported. The WA data dashboard has up-to-date numbers and classifications.
Classification Breakdown
How people in WA classified the numbers they reported this month.
Scam led at 45% in February 2020, compared to 49% the month before.
Top Reporting Areas
Areas in Western Australia with the most reports this month.
Perth generated 49 reports - more than double Armadale's 2. See the area pages above or the WA data dashboard for full breakdowns.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to January 2020, Western Australia saw a slight decrease of 13% in report volume.
Seasonal Context
February dipped 13% 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 45% of classified reports in February.
Even with the 13% drop statewide, Perth still logged 49 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
5 numbers in WA picked up multiple reports in a short period this month, which typically indicates active call campaigns.
Flagged numbers averaged 5 reports each, suggesting these campaigns are still in early stages.
Reports on these numbers came from multiple areas across WA, which points to automated dialling rather than calls targeting a single region.
Mixed Classifications
Some numbers got both scam and non-scam reports during February 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 January 2020 - 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 Western Australia.
- Look up numbers on Reverseau before calling back.
How We Compiled This
Built from community reports submitted to Reverseau between 1-29 February 2020. All data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Source: First-hand reports from the community.
- Scope: Numbers allocated to Western Australia (WA).
- Period: 1-29 February 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 WA data dashboard.