Fraud Underbelly: Australia’s Digital Boom—A Fraudster’s Goldmine? – 3 April 2025
Australia’s digital boom is a goldmine for fraudsters. Paper shows exactly how cybercriminals are orchestrating attacks on Australia’s citizens and digital assets, and provides detail on why they a lucrative target.
https://www.group-ib.com/blog/fraud-underbelly-australia/
Australian superannuation funds hit by cyber attacks, with members’ money stolen – 4 April 2025
A number of Australian superannuation funds have been hit with suspected cyberattacks, with members of one fund losing $500,000 between them in retirement savings. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-04/superannuation-cyber-attack-rest-afsa/105137820
https://therecord.media/cybercriminals-australia-hacking-campaign-pension
Urgent warning: Scammers misuse ASIC identity in texts – 4 April 2025
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has issued a warning about scammers using “alpha tags” in text messages to masquerade as the regulatory authority. This deceptive tactic involves labelling messages with the sender name “ASIC,” misleading recipients into believing they are in communication with the regulator.
Security breach at MCG raises questions about AI screening technology – 5 April 2025
The failure of the MCG’s security processes to detect two men carrying guns inside the venue has put the spotlight on the screening technology being relied upon. The incident at the AFL match was put down to ‘human error’ but experts on the AI security scanners being used by the MCG say that’s not the full story. A recent investigation into the company that makes the scanners found the machines produce a high rate of false positives, leading to “operator fatigue” for secondary, manual screening.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-05/evolv-concerns-mcg-guns-security-breach/105138072
No jail for Australian ‘money mule’ Motasar Angasyo in $150,000 Auckland fraud case – 6 April 2025
Australian national Motasar Angasyo was sentenced for his role as a “money mule” in a $150,000 scam. The 71-year-old victim lost her money within a week of the defendant’s arrival in New Zealand. Judge Nicola Mathers granted a non-custodial sentence, emphasising rehabilitation over punishment.
More disturbing incidents exposed inside NSW childcare centres – 7 April 2025
Some of the country’s largest childcare operators are named in damning regulatory documents the New South Wales government tried to keep hidden from the public.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-07/more-disturbing-incidents-exposed-inside-nsw/105148614
Australia to Shut Down 95 Companies for Their Possible Links to “Hydra-Like” Scams – 7 April 2025
The Australian financial market regulator is going to shut down 95 companies with links to online investment and romance baiting scams, also known as “pig butchering” scams, after obtaining a court order. These companies were linked to websites and apps that may be involved in scams that offer fake investment opportunities through fake trading platforms for forex, crypto, and commodities.
CBA and Westpac mull removing numbers from their credit cards – 7 April 2025
Commonwealth Bank and Westpac are considering removing the 16-digit numbers from their credit and debit cards, a move Mastercard argues will reduce fraud by preventing criminal hackers from stealing card details. Some payment experts, however, questioned the plans, arguing numberless cards risk adding friction to online commerce, given many customers still like to pay online using physical cards in their wallets and typing in the numbers.
British woman exposed in Netflix’s Con Mum charged with fraud over alleged inheritance scam in Singapore – 7 April 2025
A British woman accused of duping her own son to fund her champagne-sipping lifestyle has been charged with fraud in Singapore after gaining notoriety in the Netflix documentary Con Mum. Her alleged victims claim she sought their sympathy by saying she was terminally ill and needed the money for legal fees and to open new bank accounts. Dionne Marie Hanna, 84, faces five counts of fraud involving three men in Singapore and France.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/british-woman-exposed-netflix-con-112940008.html
Customers questioned top super fund about security weakness before cyberattack – 8 April 2025
AustralianSuper appears the worst hit by attacks on several funds late last month, with about 600 of its more than 3 million members affected. Customers say they asked for multi-factor authentication (MFA) as a safeguard on their accounts before cybercriminals targeted the fund.
Australian firms face rising security & travel challenges – 9 April 2025
International SOS has released its 2025 Risk Outlook, highlighting increased security threats that Australian businesses will face. Among the top five security threats identified for Australian companies are cyberattacks, natural disasters, geopolitical tensions, misinformation, and transport disruptions. A notable 92 per cent of Australian businesses reported anticipating cyberattacks this year.
https://securitybrief.com.au/story/australian-firms-face-rising-security-travel-challenges
