Four arrested over alleged links to international cyber crime syndicate
Police have made arrests across three states as part of an investigation into a “sophisticated” cyber crime syndicate which allegedly laundered $1.7m.
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Four suspected members of a “sophisticated” cybercrime group which allegedly laundered money scammed from Australians and overseas victims have been arrested in raids across three states.
On Thursday, investigators from the Australian Federal Police executed search warrants across Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide, charging two men and two women.
The quartet allegedly operated about 180 bank accounts used to facilitate thefts and launder funds scammed from victims through a range of tactics, including Facebook Marketplace scams, fraudulent superannuation investments and business email compromise attacks.
An Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesman said the arrests resulted from a 17-month investigation which began after an Indonesian business was scammed more that $100,000.
“AFP investigators identified two Brisbane women, a Melbourne man and an Adelaide man whom allegedly laundered the proceeds from the cyber fraud and were operating as a cybercrime syndicate with links to South Africa,” he said.
Individual losses identified by investigators allegedly ranged from $2500 to almost $500,000.
The spokesman said about $1.1m was allegedly laundered to bank accounts in South Africa.
During the arrests, investigators allege they seized fake passports, international drivers licences and luxury handbags.
AFP cybercrime operations Commander Chris Goldsmid said the arrests should remind individuals and businesses to remain “hyper vigilant” when conducting transactions online.
“As a result of this investigation, and with the assistance of several financial institutions, the AFP was able to identify nearly 80 fraudulent accounts being used by the syndicate and begin to shut them down,” he said.
“Business email compromise has become a particularly prominent cyber threat … Australians reported losses of more than $98m to business email compromise attacks in the past year alone, with an average loss of $64,000.”
Commander Goldsmid said cybercrimes were increasing at an alarming rate, and the techniques scammers were using to trick their victims had become increasingly cunning.
“Educate yourself on the latest scams and take the time to triple check the details of your transactions – not doing so could cost you your life savings,” he said.
In Brisbane, police arrested a Durack woman, 35, who was charged with 11 offences including possessing a false document, dealing in personal financial information, dealing with the proceeds of crime worth $100,00 or more and producing a false document.
A Sherwood woman, 27, was charged with 12 offences including possessing a false document and possessing false foreign travel documents.
In Adelaide, a Croydon Park man, 30, was charged with three offences, including producing a false document and dealing in proceeds of crime worth $100,000 or more.
In Melbourne, a Wyndham Vale man, 26, was charged with two offences of possessing a false document and possessing false foreign travel documents.
Cyber crimes can be reported online at https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report.
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