New research from TrendLife, the consumer arm of Trend Micro, has found that Australians aged 18–34 are more likely to be scammed during major life moments than older cohorts, despite their greater comfort with technology.
The global Digital Life and AI Experiences study, which surveyed more than 10,000 people across nine markets, including over 1,000 Australians, found that basic safety precautions were markedly lower among 18–24-year-olds, including verifying an organisation's legitimacy, using an identity protection service, and updating privacy or security settings, compared with the overall sample.
The research also found that one in five Australians had either been scammed, or knew someone close to them who had, while making a major purchase or investment, such as a car or property.
Job interviews and applying for government benefits or tax support followed closely behind as danger zones, with buying or selling a house also flagged as a distinct risk point for borrowers.
"Major life moments like job interviews or buying a house often involve big decisions and unfamiliar parties," said Lynette Owens, vice president of consumer education & marketing at TrendLife. "That's exactly what scammers exploit."
That risk has a name in the settlement process. The ACCC's latest Targeting Scams Report found that payment redirection scams, where fraudsters impersonate a conveyancer or agent to divert deposit or settlement funds, cost Australians $166.8 million in 2025, part of a $2.18 billion national scam bill, putting property transactions at risk for brokers and their clients.
Email isn't the only channel raising concern; AI tools are increasingly part of the picture too. With 38% of Australians now using AI to help navigate major life events, Owens urged caution around what information clients hand over.
"AI can be incredibly useful, but Australians should consider where their information is going and when to seek a trusted source before acting on AI-generated advice," she said.
ASIC has separately warned that AI is "lowering the barrier to sophisticated cyber activity” in financial services, and Melbourne broker Rory Sercombe has noted that AI-generated voice and video cloning means "a call or video from someone who sounds and looks like your client may not actually be them."
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