My family and I recently became victims of a serious scam that cost us a significant amount of money. Beyond the financial loss, the emotional toll has been deeply distressing. This experience has opened our eyes to the devastating impact of scammers who exploit innocent people for their own gain.

In Australia, too many scammers continue to operate without facing consequences that reflect the severity of their actions. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Australians lost over $51 million to scams in 2020 alone, a figure that continues to rise each year. This is not just a statistic; it represents real people, real families, and real suffering.

While current efforts focus on public awareness and prevention, they are not enough. The penalties for scammers are often inadequate, allowing many offenders to evade justice while victims are left to bear the financial and emotional burden.

A major issue is that these scams are not confined within national borders. Many operate through complex international networks, outsourcing services and exploiting gaps between countries’ legal systems. This means that purely domestic policies are not enough to effectively combat the problem.

We are calling on the Australian Government to take stronger, more comprehensive action by:

1. Enforcing stricter penalties and criminal charges for serious scam and fraud offences
2. Establishing international agreements and cooperation to track, prosecute, and hold foreign-based scammers accountable
3. Increasing oversight of companies that outsource services overseas, particularly where personal data may be exposed or misused
4. Strengthening accountability for both domestic and international business entities involved in data handling and communications
5. Investing in local technology talent, including collaboration with ethical hackers, to develop advanced tools that can monitor, detect, and prevent scam operations
6. Actively identifying and tracking regions where scam operations originate and working with relevant governments to shut them down

Stronger laws and coordinated global action will act as a powerful deterrent and significantly reduce the reach of these criminal networks. Just as importantly, it will provide long-overdue justice for victims.

We urge lawmakers to act now. No one should have to endure the financial and emotional devastation caused by scams.

Sign this petition today and share it widely with your family, friends, and community. Together, we can raise our voices, demand accountability, and create a safer Australia for everyone