Scammers Take Advantage of Australia’s Cybercrime Portal to Mimic Law Enforcement and Acquire Cryptocurrency

Cybercriminals in Australia are taking advantage of the government’s official cybercrime reporting system to impersonate federal police officers and unlawfully acquire cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals, authorities cautioned on Wednesday.

Key Takeaways:

• Scammers are utilizing Australia’s ReportCyber platform to masquerade as federal police and misappropriate cryptocurrency.
• Fraudsters leverage stolen personal information and counterfeit case numbers to lend authenticity to their schemes.
• The AFP advised citizens to terminate suspicious calls and confirmed that genuine officers never ask for crypto access or banking information.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) disclosed that scammers are submitting false reports via ReportCyber, a platform intended for citizens to report cybercrimes.

Employing stolen personal data, the fraudsters reach out to victims posing as AFP officers, asserting that their information is connected to cryptocurrency-related investigations. Their objective is to deceive victims into transferring digital assets into fraudulent “secure” wallets.

Scammers Exploit ReportCyber Data to Build Credibility and Pressure Victims

According to AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson, the ruse is effective because criminals utilize authentic details from the ReportCyber platform to seem credible.

“They validate personal information in ways that align with common expectations and act swiftly to instill a sense of urgency,” she stated.

The AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre discovered that the system’s design, which permits third parties to file reports on behalf of others, has been exploited to bolster these scams.

Once a false report is lodged, scammers contact the victim with a fabricated case reference number, making the fraud appear legitimate.

In one reported case, a victim was informed that their name was involved in a cryptocurrency data breach.

The scammer provided a seemingly legitimate reference number and then transferred the call to an alleged “crypto platform representative” who pressured the victim to transfer funds into a supposed cold wallet for “safekeeping.”

The victim became wary and ended the call before sending any money.

Authorities noted that similar schemes have employed spoofed phone numbers mimicking actual AFP lines to enhance credibility.

“Australians should be vigilant for warning signs and safeguard themselves. Genuine AFP officers will never request access to crypto accounts, seed phrases, or banking details,” Andersson urged the public.

Authorities recommended that anyone contacted regarding a ReportCyber submission they did not initiate should promptly hang up and call 1300 CYBER1.

The AFP stressed that authentic reports remain vital for tracking cybercriminals and preventing further scams.

Australia Tightens Crypto Oversight as Regulators Target Scams

This warning arises amid a wider crackdown on crypto-related fraud throughout Australia.

Last month, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced forthcoming legislation to regulate crypto ATMs, labeling them as “high-risk products” associated with money laundering and child exploitation.

Meanwhile, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has dismantled over 14,000 scam and phishing websites since July 2023, with crypto-related fraud constituting 20% of the removals.

The agency is now targeting 130 new malicious sites weekly, including misleading social media advertisements and AI-driven schemes promising passive crypto income.

In November, ASIC also implemented temporary class relief for intermediaries distributing stablecoins issued by licensed AFS providers, permitting them to operate without additional licensing until June 2028.

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