From May to November 2025, there was a significant increase in scam activity on the NRS. These scams endangered users, disrupted communication with businesses, and placed a strain on service operations. This affected the work of our Relay Officers and the service quality for genuine users.

How we used to handle scam calls

Earlier, Relay Officers had to relay scam calls completely, only assessing them after the call ended. This process helped scammers in progressing the call and led to higher call volumes and longer call durations. It was not efficient and allowed scams.

How we handle scams calls now

In November 2025, after discussions with the Government, a process to allow Relay Officers to disconnect suspected scam calls was created. This change greatly improved user safety and service integrity.

There has been a noticeable reduction in call volumes and handling times, freeing up officers to assist genuine users and cutting down fraud risks for Australian government and financial entities.

Technological upgrades and future goals

Scammers will update their tactics, so the NRS must stay ahead. We have a three-stage plan to meet these challenges:

Stage 1 - Disconnecting Active Scam Calls

We are already acting on this stage with our procedure to end scam calls, reducing scam activities.

Stage 2 - Better User Registration

We plan to uplift the current registration process to stop scammers from gaining access to use the service. This will be done through consultation with our NRS users and other Government agencies.

Stage 3 - Caller Verification

We will ensure that the caller is the registered user, adding another layer of security to prevent impersonation.

Effects and community awareness

In October and November, we averaged around 500 undetected scam calls per month. Post-November 26, 2025, we disconnected 94 calls, and in January, caught 87 scam call attempts. By this measure, scam activity has reduced by 80% on its peak.

While some might see these measures as barriers to access, our aim is to improve services for genuine users and preserve the reputation of the service to organisations you may wish to call. Our efforts to date have received positive feedback from community representatives.

These actions ensure that the NRS stays secure and accessible, balancing fraud prevention with easy access for real users.

We remain committed to keeping our users up to date as we adapt to changes in an attempt to minimise scam and fraud activity via the NRS.

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