The National Anti-Scam Centre's Job Scam Fusion Cell has launched a significant initiative to combat job scams that have been increasingly targeting Australians, particularly those facing financial pressures. From September 2024 to March 2025, the fusion cell removed more than 29,000 scam social media accounts and 1,850 fake job advertisements, highlighting a coordinated effort among government, law enforcement, and the private sector.

Financial losses from job scams surged by 151% from 2022 to 2023, with Scamwatch reporting over 3,000 job scam incidents in 2024 alone, resulting in losses of $13.7 million. The average loss per victim was notably higher than for other scam types, indicating the severity of the issue. ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe emphasized that these scams disproportionately affect low-income individuals and vulnerable communities.

The fusion cell's initiatives included collaboration with Meta to eliminate scam accounts, referral of scammer cryptocurrency wallets for investigation, and disruption of impersonation schemes involving Australian government entities. Awareness campaigns and forums were also held to educate at-risk groups about the dangers of job scams.

One of the key risks identified was the impersonation of healthcare providers in job advertisements, which was used to extract personal information and money from job seekers. The fusion cell provided tailored advice to over 40 organizations in the healthcare sector, leading to a significant reduction in reports of such scams.

Overall, the fusion cell's strategic approach, based on data and stakeholder insights, has proven effective in preventing and disrupting scams. The National Anti-Scam Centre continues to work with various partners to analyze emerging threats and implement targeted interventions to protect consumers from scams.