Cybercriminals in Australia are exploiting the country’s national cybercrime reporting platform to defraud cryptocurrency users, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and its Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) warned on Wednesday.
According to a press statement from AFP officials, the said criminals are using stolen personal information and impersonating law enforcement officers to steal funds from digital wallets. The “social engineers” steal private details like email addresses and phone numbers, then submit fraudulent reports through ReportCyber, the government’s official cybercrime reporting tool.
Once potential victims are identified, the criminals contact them directly, claiming to be AFP officers investigating a cybercrime case. “The scammers verify personal information in ways that match common expectations and act quickly to create a sense of urgency,” AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said.
Australian fraudsters use police identities to steal crypto
One documented case by the AFP discusses how a target received a call from an individual claiming to be from the agency. The caller said someone had been arrested over the weekend and that the victim had been implicated in a crypto-related data breach.
The impostor provided an official-looking reference number linked to a supposed ReportCyber submission to sift away any doubt the victim had about the ruse. They were then instructed to access the ReportCyber portal and enter their email address to “verify” the report.
A second caller, posing as a representative from the victim’s crypto platform, repeated the reference number to convince the individual of the call’s authenticity. The scammer then urged the target to transfer funds from their platform wallet to a so-called “Cold Storage” account. Fortunately, the victim grew suspicious and ended the call before any funds were lost.
“We encourage Australians to adopt necessary safety measures online and take a moment to stop their scroll, check for warning signs of scams, and protect themselves from cybercrime,” Andersson said.
She doubled down on the fact that legitimate law enforcement officers will never request access to cryptocurrency wallets, bank accounts, seed phrases, or other financial information. Victims or those who suspect they are being targeted should immediately terminate calls and notify ReportCyber or call 1300CYBER1 (1300 292 371).
Australian government mount defences to prevent crypto scams
In October, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said he plans to give AUSTRAC, the country’s anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financial regulator, powers to restrict or prohibit high-risk products, services, or delivery channels, including crypto ATMs.
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said these powers would be used immediately. “Having a power like this enables the CEO to adapt to the evolving risk environment in more responsive ways,” he told local news publications in a press briefing.
Thomas noted that when the Crypto Taskforce was established last year, Australia had 1,200 bitcoin ATMs, but the number has now increased to 2,000. AUSTRAC’s analysis showed roughly 150,000 transactions per year at these machines, totaling $275 million.
A sample of the 90 most active crypto ATM users found that 85% had fallen victim to scams. Individuals aged 50 to 70 accounted for nearly 72% of all crypto ATM transactions.
Australians lost $3 million to crypto ATM scams in the 12 months ending January, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre. Among 150 reported incidents, the most common scams involved fraudulent investment schemes, extortion emails, and romance scams.
The elderly are targets for social engineering scams
AFP Assistant Commissioner Richard Chin told ABC News that Australia is a prime target due to high levels of household wealth and savings.
“This is organised cybercrime. They’re incredibly well-drilled when it comes to their scripts and how they manipulate us and exploit our generosity,” Chin said. “I’m aware of a case involving an elderly gentleman caught up in a romance scam. He was convinced to part with $1.4 million.”
Officials are asking all Australians to be cautious online, especially when interacting with unfamiliar contacts who insist they represent law enforcement or financial institutions. Even with legitimate platforms such as ReportCyber, criminals can manipulate information to appear credible and convince victims to share data or send funds in urgency.
“Every cybercrime report can help police track criminals, assist in building intelligence on emerging cyber threats, and prevent other people from being targeted,” Andersson concluded in the recent AFP statement.
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