Swipe Right for Scam: Overseas Call Centre Busted for Crypto Cons on Aussie Hearts

By Ben Knight November 27, 2024 In Australia, Cryptocurrency, Scams

3d render Cartoon character man gives a coin to a scammer, scamming concept espionage crypto — Source:AdobeStock

A recent bust in the Philippines has exposed a scam ring that preyed on single Australian men over 35.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported that the scammers, operating from a call centre, allegedly targeted over 50 Australians via dating apps.
The goal was to lure the victims to invest money via fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platforms.
The investigation was part of Operation Firestorm, an AFP taskforce honing in on cybercrime.

Unfortunately, being an Australian comes with some downsides – such as being disproportionately targeted by scammers.

Earlier in the year, an anonymous Eastern European scammer revealed via ABC that Australians made lucrative targets due to their easy-going nature and higher-than-average income.

It appears this belief has made its way to the crypto sphere, with a Philippines bust-up unveiling a scam ring that singled out lonely Aussies.

The Australian Federal Police’s report on the crime is a sobering reminder of the dangers that can come with the “harmless” act of swiping right.

Romance Scam Targeted Australian Men Over 35

Approximately 250 employees of a call centre in the Philippines have been arrested following an investigation into immigration violations.

The raid uncovered a romance scam network involving nearly 200 foreign nationals and 50 local residents operating from the facility.

According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the scammers contacted over 50 Australians through dating apps, primarily single men over the age of 35.

After gaining the victims’ trust via the app, the scammers would encourage them to invest in a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform.

The victims’ investments were then siphoned off by the scam ring, resulting in significant financial losses.

While it is unclear how much (if any) money was stolen from unsuspecting Australians, the AFP believes the scam call centre may have unsuccessfully targeted thousands of Aussies.

Operation Firestorm Hits the Ground Running

The AFP quickly got involved in the search warrant, working in tandem with Philippines authorities to investigate the scam ring.

Australia’s interest in cybercrime has been ramped up over the past few months due to “Operation Firestorm”, a dedicated team for combatting cyber scams from the South-East Asia region.

This particular case proved useful for the taskforce, as it was the first time Operation Firestorm had successfully investigated a scam call centre.

We have gathered valuable intelligence on the structure of these types of…call centres, how they are targeting Australians and the ways to help identify victims…[this] will be immensely helpful in developing our strategies in combatting this crime impacting Australia.

AFP Assistant Commissioner David McLean

Author

Ben Knight

Ben Knight is a writer and editor from Melbourne with a passion for all things music and finance. He enjoys turning complex topics – especially the technical details of cryptocurrency – into digestible bites that anybody can understand. He acquired his Master’s in Writing, Editing and Publishing from RMIT in 2019 and has run his own creative writing business ever since.