Data from Norton’s Threat Lab paints a troubling picture: a staggering 90% of all cyber threats now stem from scams and social engineering — nearly triple the rate recorded in 2021.

And it’s not going unnoticed. One in three Australians reports being targeted by scams already this year, with payment scams (42%), text message or “smishing” attacks (39%), and phishing attempts (38%) among the most common.

Experts say the election period is ripe for exploitation.

As political campaigns ramp up and voter engagement spikes, scammers are expected to seize the opportunity — often disguising malicious messages as official communications or leveraging political content to lure unsuspecting victims.

The message from cybersecurity professionals is clear: vigilance is key. Australians are urged to scrutinise unsolicited messages, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and stay informed about the latest scam tactics as the election season heats up.

Mark Gorrie, Managing Director APAC for Norton, warns that Australian voters are now prime targets.

“We’ve seen how scammers exploited the U.S. election, preying on voters through fake donation requests, impersonation scams, and disinformation campaigns,” said Gorrie

“With the Australian election approaching, cybercriminals will likely use similar tactics here. We urge Australians to be highly cautious, especially when receiving unsolicited messages about political donations, surveys, or ‘exclusive’ election information.”

“We’ve already seen misinformation campaigns in past elections, and the growing use of AI makes these scams even harder to detect,” Gorrie said.

“Scammers will take advantage of the heightened interest in the election to trick people into sharing personal data or handing over money,”

“We’ve seen fake fundraising campaigns, bogus voter registration sites, and deepfake content spreading online. Australians should be highly sceptical of any unsolicited political messages and always fact-check before taking action.” he said.

U.S. Election Scams Offer Warning Signs for Australia

Meanwhile, recent research from Norton highlights just how widespread election-related scams have become — and offers a cautionary tale for Australian voters.

In the United States, more than half of Americans (56%) reported being targeted by an election scam even before casting their ballots.

Among the most common threats were fake polls designed to harvest personal information (16.6%), political donation scams (19.1%), deepfake impersonation scams (10.3%), and a sharp spike in robo-calls pushing false election narratives (37%).

The sophisticated and often convincing tactics aim to mislead voters, manipulate public opinion, and erode trust in the democratic process.

With Australia’s election approaching, experts warn similar scams could hit locally. The takeaway: learn from the U.S. and stay alert to digital threats targeting voters.