Overseas phone scammers target Queenslanders with Microsoft con

But thousands of Queenslanders are believed to have been targeted by the cold-calling cons, including one known as the "Microsoft scam".

Det-Supt Hay said phone scammers were growing more sophisticated, with the Microsoft ruse being run over two phone calls.

The use of internet lines

With international calls becoming cheaper thanks to the use of internet lines, Det-Supt Hay said phone scams operated by foreign criminals would become more common.

There were as well card-skimming operations taking advantage of Australia's reliance on outdated magnetic strip innovation on ATMs, Det-Supt Hay said.