Rockdale man allegedly tried to scam $2,000 from Optus customers caught up in data breach
A Sydney man allegedly sent SMS messages to Optus customers demanding they pay $2,000 into a bank account or he would release their personal information.
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A Rockdale man allegedly sent SMS messages to Optus customers demanding they pay $2,000 into a bank account or he would release their personal information.
The 19-year-old was arrested at his home on Thursday and charged with allegedly trying to misuse stolen Optus customer data in a text message blackmail scam.
Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner cyber command Justine Gough said it will be alleged the man targeted 93 customers and demanded they pay the money into a Commonwealth Bank account.
The data used by the man allegedly came from the 10,200 personal records posted online last week after the Optus breach.
Assistant Commissioner Gough said the man was not suspected of being the individual responsible for the Optus breach, but police will allege he tried to financially benefit from the stolen data that was published in an online forum.
“We will allege the offender was making their way through the list...we would allege they would continued if we hadn’t taken the action we have today,” assistant commissioner Gough said.
AFP investigators identified a bank account which was in the name of a juvenile, which they will allege was being used by the man.
A search was carried out at the man’s unit which allegedly uncovered a mobile phone linked to the SMS scam.
The man was charged with using a telecommunication network with the intent to commit a serious offence and dealing with identification information in contrary to the act.
The offences carry a maximum of 10 years in prison if found guilty.
The man will face Central Local Court at a later date.
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