WA Community Safety Intelligence - November 2020

What WA residents reported between 1-30 November 2020 - classifications, regional patterns, and numbers to watch.

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 62 reports across 40 distinct numbers in Western Australia - a moderate increase of 9% compared to October 2020.

The leading classification was Scam at 47%.

Most reports came from Perth, followed by Rockingham and Herne Hill.

WA's 47% scam rate tracked close to the national average of 44%.

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.

Community Reports
62
vs October 2020 +9%
Unique Numbers Reported
40
Scam Rate
47%
National avg: 44% ↑ 3pp above

Classification Breakdown

How people in WA classified the numbers they reported this month.

Scam47%
Uncertain27%
Spam13%
Legitimate8%
Suspicious3%
Nuisance2%
62
reports

Scam led at 47% in November 2020, compared to 33% the month before.

Month-to-Month Comparison

Compared to October 2020, Western Australia saw a moderate increase of 9% in report volume.

October 2020
57
November 2020
62
Change
+9%

Seasonal Context

Report volume edged up 9% in November. A moderate increase like this is common when new number ranges start attracting attention.

Notable Changes

Scam accounted for 47% of classified reports in November.

Report distribution across Western Australia stayed consistent, with Perth (57) and Rockingham (2) 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

6 numbers in WA 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 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 November 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 October 2020 - did they continue or go quiet?

NumberOctober 2020November 2020Status
(08) 6365 0486 8 reports 0 reports Inactive
(08) 6205 3418 3 reports 0 reports Inactive
(08) 6244 6134 3 reports 0 reports Inactive
(08) 6244 6132 3 reports 0 reports Inactive

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 1-30 November 2020. All data is aggregated and anonymised.

  • Source: First-hand reports from the community.
  • Scope: Numbers allocated to Western Australia (WA).
  • 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 WA data dashboard.