Australians are being urged to “slow their scroll” and think before clicking on suspicious links, as unsafe online habits continue to give cybercriminals the upper hand.
In a national response to the growing threat, the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) has launched ClickFit, a new awareness campaign designed to help Australians recognise the warning signs of cybercrime and build safer digital habits.
The initiative follows alarming findings from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Cybercrime in Australia 2024 report, which revealed that only 8 to 22 per cent of cyber incidents—ranging from malware to fraud and scams—were reported to police. Many victims did not report offences because they believed nothing could be done or that their experience was too minor.
AFP Acting Commander of Cybercrime Operations, Marie Andersson, said every report, no matter how small, helps police track offenders, shut down criminal networks, and protect others.
“Research shows our online habits directly impact our risk profile, and many Australians overlook simple steps that can prevent their victimisation,” Acting Commander Andersson said.
“Just like drivers learn to spot hazards on the road, we want online users to recognise the warning signs of cybercrime.”
ClickFit is supported by every state and territory police force and encourages Australians to check for “digital blind spots” — suspicious text messages, fake investment ads, or shady email attachments — before clicking.
In one case investigated by Tasmania Police, a man lost over $400,000 to a cryptocurrency investment scam, despite repeated warnings. In another, a South Australian mother discovered her “dream holiday” booking was fake only after arriving at a non-existent hotel.
Despite Australians rating their tech knowledge highly, the Cybercrime in Australia 2024 report found many still fail to use basic protections like strong passphrases, multi-factor authentication, and regular software updates — a gap ClickFit aims to close.
“Changing our online habits is as important as locking your car door,” Andersson said.
“ClickFit isn’t about fear — it’s about empowerment. By taking small, consistent steps, we can make it much harder for cybercriminals to succeed.”
Running until December 2026, the ClickFit campaign will focus on four major types of cybercrime: business email compromise, romance scams, investment scams, and impersonation scams. It features two digital heroes — NetCop Gary and Agent Index — who help Australians become “ClickFit” by taking six simple steps:
- Create strong passphrases
- Enable multi-factor authentication
- Install software updates
- Stay alert to scams
- Stop and think before clicking
- Verify the source before paying or sharing details
Australians are encouraged to test their cyber fitness at the Are You ClickFit? page and report cybercrime incidents through ReportCyber.
As Andersson put it, “The online world is incredible — but it’s time to drive it safely.”
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
