Key takeaways
Unemployed citizens face a staggering 3.51% fraud rate, making them a prime target for scammers
People with disabilities suffer the second-highest risk at 1.81%, double the rate of non-disabled Australians
Citizens aged 45-54 are the most vulnerable age group at 1.57%, while young adults remain the safest at just 0.70%
Unemployed Australians are the most vulnerable to identity fraud, a shocking new study has found.
Leader in global identity and fraud intelligence, GBG, examined Australian Bureau of Statistics data to identify which groups across the country are most frequently targeted by scammers.
Top 10 demographics most affected by identity fraud in Australia
| Rank | Category | Group | Victimisation Rate |
| 1 | Labour force status | Unemployed | 3.51% |
| 2 | Disability | Has a disability or restrictive condition | 1.81% |
| 3 | Age Range | 45-54 | 1.57% |
| 4 | Age Range | 35-44 | 1.40% |
| 5 | Age Range | 55-64 | 1.35% |
| 6 | Level of qualification | Bachelor's degree | 1.34% |
| =7 | Labour force status | Full-time | 1.33% |
| =7 | Sex | Male | 1.33% |
| 8 | Level of qualification | Postgraduate degree | 1.28% |
| 9 | Level of qualification | Advanced Diploma/Diploma/Certificate | 1.24% |
| 10 | Age Range | 25-34 | 1.21% |
Job status stood out as the clearest predictor of who is targeted.
Unemployed Australians recorded a 3.51% victimisation rate compared to just 1.33% for full-time workers and 1.10% for part-timers. This puts unemployed citizens at more than twice the risk compared to the average Australian.
People with disabilities or restrictive conditions ranked second-most vulnerable with a 1.81% victimisation rate. The figure nearly doubles the 0.93% rate for non-disabled Australians, suggesting fraudsters deliberately prey on vulnerable groups.
Across age categories, citizens aged 45-54 years face the highest risk with a 1.57% victimisation rate. The 35-44 age bracket followed at 1.40%, while those aged 55-64 recorded a rate of 1.35%. Australians aged 25-34 ranked fourth among age groups with a 1.21% victimisation rate.
Australian men proved significantly more likely to be targeted than women. Males recorded a 1.33% victimisation rate compared to just 1.02% for females, representing a 30% higher risk for men.
Educational background showed surprising links to fraud vulnerability. Bachelor's degree holders topped qualification categories at 1.34%, followed closely by those with postgraduate degrees at 1.28%. This challenges widespread beliefs that higher education protects against scammers.
At the opposite end of the scale, young Australians aged 15-24 proved remarkably resistant to identity fraud, with just a 0.70% victimisation rate. This falls below half the rate of the most vulnerable groups and suggests younger citizens may have less valuable identity information worth stealing.
Seniors aged 65 and over recorded the second-lowest victimisation rate at 0.89%, contradicting common beliefs that elderly citizens face the highest fraud risks.
Australians not in the labour force reported a victimisation rate of 0.93%, much lower than workers of any type. The lower rate might stem from reduced financial transactions and fewer online accounts linked to employment.
Those without non-school qualifications recorded a fraud rate of 0.97%, lower than all groups with formal education, challenging assumptions that education automatically provides better protection against scammers.
Marital status appeared to have limited influence on fraud targeting. Married Australians recorded slightly higher fraud rates (1.19%) compared to unmarried citizens (1.12%).
Country of birth showed minimal impact on fraud risk, with Australian-born citizens (1.20%) and overseas-born residents (1.18%) suffering nearly identical rates.
10 demographics least affected by identity fraud in Australia
| Rank | Category | Group | Victimisation Rate |
| 1 | Age Range | 15-24 | 0.70% |
| 2 | Age Range | 65 and over | 0.89% |
| =3 | Disability | Does not have a disability or restrictive condition | 0.93% |
| =3 | Labour force status | Not in the labour force | 0.93% |
| 4 | Level of qualification | Does not have non-school qualification | 0.97% |
| 5 | Sex | Female | 1.02% |
| 6 | Labour force status | Part-time | 1.10% |
| 7 | Social marital status | Not married | 1.12% |
| 8 | Country of birth | Born overseas | 1.18% |
| 9 | Social marital status | Married | 1.19% |
| 10 | Country of birth | Australia | 1.20% |
Gus Tomlinson, Managing Director of Identity Fraud at GBG, said:
“These statistics paint a clear picture of which Australians are most affected by identity fraud.
The data shows that unemployed Australians and those with disabilities face significantly higher risks, requiring targeted support and protection.
“What's particularly striking is how employment status appears to be the strongest predictor of fraud risk.
Unemployed Australians are nearly three times more likely to be victims than the average person, which suggests fraudsters may be specifically targeting those in financially vulnerable positions.
“The study challenges some common assumptions about fraud.
For instance, many would expect older Australians to be most vulnerable, yet our data shows middle-aged citizens are actually at the highest risk. Similarly, higher education doesn't seem to provide protection against fraud.
In fact, those with bachelor’s degrees experience higher victimisation rates.”
