Executive Summary
This report analyses community-submitted telecommunications safety data across Tasmania between 1–31 August 2024. All classifications, trend observations, and regional patterns are derived from first-hand community intelligence aggregated through the Reverseau platform.
Tasmania recorded 198 community reports across 107 unique phone numbers during the reporting period. Compared to July 2024, reporting volume showed a notable decrease of 72%, while 107 numbers remained under active community monitoring throughout the month.
Spam remains the most frequently assigned community classification at 33% of categorised reports, with a scam classification ratio of 33% across all submissions. A classification shift was observed: Spam displaced Scam as the dominant category, which may indicate a transition in active campaign strategies or a change in community reporting behaviour.
Geographically, reporting activity was concentrated in Hobart, followed by Bridgewater and Targa. Reporting activity was broadly distributed across Hobart and Bridgewater, with no single locality dominating the reporting landscape.
August represents a mid-year baseline period. Reporting volumes tend to stabilise, though emerging campaign types may begin to surface ahead of the holiday season.
Scam classifications account for 33% of reports, suggesting a mixed telecommunications activity landscape where non-scam reporting categories play a significant role in the overall safety picture. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious telecommunications activity and consult the TAS data dashboard for real-time classification and trend data.
Why This Matters
The proportion of scam-classified reports at 33% indicates active but evolving targeting patterns across Tasmania. Understanding these patterns at a community level enables faster identification of emerging campaign types and reduces the window between first contact and community-wide awareness. Sustained reporting activity across multiple localities strengthens the collective intelligence foundation, allowing classification convergence to accelerate as more residents contribute first-hand safety data to the TAS reporting ecosystem.
Scam Category Breakdown
Community classification distribution across TAS for the period 1–31 August 2024. Classifications are assigned by reporting users based on their direct experience with each number.
Spam accounted for 33% of categorised reports during August 2024. In July 2024, Scam held the top position with 59% of classifications. A classification shift was observed: Spam displaced Scam as the dominant category, which may indicate a transition in active campaign strategies or a change in community reporting behaviour.
Most Affected Areas in Tasmania
Localities with the highest concentration of community reports during 1–31 August 2024. Each locality links to its dedicated intelligence page with full classification breakdowns and number listings.
Reporting activity was broadly distributed across Hobart and Bridgewater, with no single locality dominating the reporting landscape. For detailed locality-level analysis, visit the individual area pages linked above or explore the TAS data dashboard.
Month-to-Month Comparison
Compared to July 2024, Tasmania experienced a notable decrease of 72% in community reporting volume. Overall activity has decreased, with substantial monitoring coverage across the state.
Seasonal Context
August represents a mid-year baseline period. Reporting volumes tend to stabilise, though emerging campaign types may begin to surface ahead of the holiday season. The observed decrease of 72% may reflect seasonal reporting variation, reduced campaign activity, or shifts in community engagement patterns during this period.
Classification Movement
Spam classifications accounted for 33% of categorised reports in August, with scam-specific reports representing 33% of all submissions. These shifts in community classification patterns may reflect evolving campaign tactics, changes in the types of numbers being reported, or natural variation in reporting behaviour between periods. Monitoring classification movement over consecutive months provides a more reliable indicator of genuine trend shifts than any single-month comparison.
Regional Variation
Hobart maintained its position as the most active reporting locality even as overall volumes declined. This persistence suggests that reporting behaviour in metropolitan areas is more resilient to volume fluctuations than regional submissions.
Service Type Distribution
Local Service numbers account for 100% of reported activity, reflecting the broader national pattern where mobile-originated calls dominate community safety reports. Residents should exercise particular caution with unsolicited calls from unfamiliar local service numbers.
Emerging Trends & Observations
Several numbers exhibited accelerated reporting velocity within compressed time windows, followed by classification convergence toward scam designation.
Rapid Accumulation Signals
10 numbers within TAS accumulated multiple community reports within a compressed time window during 1–31 August 2024. This velocity pattern is consistent with active call campaigns or coordinated targeting activity. Numbers exhibiting rapid report accumulation frequently transition from initial “Unknown” or “Suspicious” classifications to confirmed “Scam” designation within days.
Flagged numbers averaged 5 reports each, consistent with early-stage campaign detection where community awareness is still building.
Several flagged numbers exhibited cross-locality reporting dispersion, with community submissions originating from multiple areas within TAS. This pattern suggests broadcast-style outbound activity rather than localised outreach, consistent with automated dialling campaigns that target numbers across geographic boundaries.
Divergent Classification Signals
Several numbers display mixed community classifications — receiving both scam and non-scam reports during August 2024. This divergence may indicate numbers transitioning between legitimate and illegitimate use, caller ID spoofing of legitimate business numbers, or community uncertainty about the nature of calls received. Numbers with divergent classifications warrant continued monitoring as community consensus develops.
Community Safety Guidance
- Do not return missed calls from unknown 03 numbers without verification.
- Verify any government agency claims through official websites or published contact numbers — the ATO, Centrelink, and Medicare will never threaten immediate action via phone.
- Avoid clicking payment or delivery links received via SMS from unrecognised senders.
- Report suspicious telecommunications activity to help build community safety intelligence for Tasmania.
- Check numbers on Reverseau before returning calls from unknown sources.
Data Methodology
This report is compiled from community-submitted telecommunications safety reports for the period 1–31 August 2024. All data is aggregated and anonymised before publication.
- Source: First-hand community reports submitted via Reverseau.
- Scope: Numbers with a registered allocation within Tasmania (TAS).
- Period: 1–31 August 2024 (calendar month).
- Classifications: Assigned by reporting users based on their direct experience.
- Limitations: Data reflects community perception, not verified telecommunications records. Reporting volumes are influenced by platform adoption and user engagement patterns.
For detailed methodology, see our methodology page. For the full analytical dataset, visit the TAS data dashboard.