<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some scam victims could automatically be reimbursed for their losses under a new federal government proposal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Labor is pushing for banks, telecommunications companies and big digital platforms to automatically repay victims with verified losses of up to $3000 under its proposed Scams Prevention Framework.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Scams cost Australians more than $2 billion last year, which was an increase of 7.8 per cent from the year before.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gus-lamont-police-update-may-28-missing-child/09a3a373-4b54-4193-ba98-11d99c68cc0b"><strong><span>No evidence to suggest Gus Lamont was abducted</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The median loss for scam victims was $400 in 2025, which was down from $500 the year before.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino said Australians have lost billions of dollars to scams.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Industry should pay out automatically so that we don't have the dispute resolution process flooded with very low value cases," he said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australian-scam-victims-could-be-automatically-reimbursed-up-to-3000-under-new-plan/3b47704b-ff08-41f2-adbe-ece43bcd08aa" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/lauren-huxleys-attacker-is-up-for-parole-today/53422ab4-3af8-4503-8f7c-2863c7b3bf40"><strong><span>Man convicted of attack that rocked Australia learns fate</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Advocates believe protections for consumers are still inadequate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I really welcome this announcement from the government that they are going to a reimbursement model," independent MP David Pocock said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is something that myself and consumer advocates have pushed for from the start.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"$3000 is too low though, I think we need to be looking at for at least $10,000, noting that in the UK there's a $160,000 reimbursement model."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) enforces rules for telecommunications companies to identify, track and block scam calls and SMS.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Communications Minister Annika Wells said about 109.9 million scam calls and 41.1 million scam SMS were blocked by telcos between October and December 2025 alone.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Through ACMA, the SMS Sender ID Register, which commences on 1 July, will make it harder for scammers to impersonate branded SMS or MMS," Wells said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Consultation will run for four weeks with the government hoping a scheme will be in place by March next year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The draft code is available for the public to view on the </span><a href="https://consult.treasury.gov.au/c2026-765133" rel="" target="" title="Treasury website"><span>Treasury website</span></a><span>.</span></div></div>