What is online fraud?

• Online fraud occurs when a deception or a fraud offence occurs over the internet.
• The most common example is email scams where people are induced (persuaded) to send large sums of money overseas on the basis they may be entitled to a windfall (lucky) payment that never eventuates.
• They operate the same way that other fraud and deception offences do in that the victim is persuaded to part with money because of a lie.
• What makes online scams different is that they are largely unprosecuted. The people who perpetuate these scams are generally based overseas and are beyond the reach of Australian authorities.
• It is very rare for online scams to be prosecuted in an Australian court.