New CommBank research reveals nearly one in three scam victims (30%) initially suspected something was wrong – but went ahead anyway, highlighting how modern scams are designed to override instinct in moments of pressure.
The research, conducted by CommBank’s Behavioural Science Centre of Excellence, explored why awareness and good intentions don’t always translate into safer behaviour – and why people sometimes act even when something feels off.
Scams are increasingly exploiting how people make decisions – using urgency, familiarity and a sense of opportunity to override suspicion and push people to act despite doubt.
CommBank’s Executive General Manager for Scams and Fraud, James Roberts, said the findings challenge the stereotype that scam victims are simply careless or uninformed.
“Scams don’t just work because people miss the warning signs – often people sense something is off, but the scam is designed to push them to act anyway,” Mr Roberts said.
“Scammers are no longer just trying to trick people – they’re targeting how we make decisions. Many scams are designed to feel routine and legitimate, so people act without stopping to verify. That’s exactly what scammers rely on.
“One of the most powerful things people can do is treat that uneasy feeling as a signal. If something feels off, stop, check and verify the source before you act.”
As part of the research, participants were shown a series of mock investment ads and asked to determine whether they were scams or not. On average, participants were only 62 per cent accurate – highlighting how scams can be hard to detect.
Investment scams continue to account for the highest losses of any scam type for the third consecutive year (2023-2025), representing more than a third (38%) of all reported losses in 2025.¹
To help Australians spot these scams in the moment, CommBank has launched a new investment scams educational video showing how scammers operate and what to watch for.
Further insights from CBA research
Participants were more likely to spot obvious red flags like urgency or unrealistic investment returns, however found it harder to identify more subtle cues such as “guaranteed” returns or high levels of personalised support. The findings also suggest many people are unsure what legitimate looks like – participants were less confident identifying ads that weren’t scams vs. those ads that were.
