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Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 11 April 2025
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
Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 4 April 2025
Players in alleged $200m GST scam turn on each other in court – 28 March 2025
The Tax Office claims collapsed hospitality group Virtical accrued $120 million in fake GST refunds to fund its purchase of iconic pubs in Sydney and Melbourne – in what would count as the biggest GST fraud in the country’s history if proven. At the hearings, former directors Mark Toma and John Palasty pointed fingers at each other over the tens of millions of dollars of GST claims based on $1.2 billion in construction work that the ATO claimed did not happen.
Government report backed ABC revelation of hidden links between Brisbane casino owner and crime figure – 28 March 2025
The Crisafulli government has released an investigation report finding Brisbane casino co-owner Chow Tai Fook had a “concealed relationship” with a criminal junket boss — substantiating a revelation by the ABC in 2022. The former government took legal advice that it was “open” to finding Chow Tai Fook unsuitable as a casino owner, but would face challenges proving it “deliberately” misled the regulator.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-28/brisbane-casino-owner-falsely-denied-business-ties/105105808
Queensland financial adviser banned by ASIC for five years – 29 March 2025
ASIC has issued a five-year ban against Queensland-based financial adviser, Grant Richard Thomson. The regulatory body found that Thomson consistently failed to act in his clients’ best interests when providing financial advice. Specifically, the advice on insurance often included recommendations for levels of coverage that factored in mortgages clients had not yet secured.
Football and media personality Eddie McGuire used in deepfake financial advertisement – 31 March 2025
Scammers have used footage of Eddie McGuire in a deepfake advertisement that alters his speech to make it sound like he’s promoting a financial investment opportunity. McGuire says it’s not the first time his image has been used, and that he has encountered roadblocks in getting fake videos removed from social media in the past.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/vic-eddie-mcguire-deepfake-video-financial-scam/105115764
US music star Sean Kingston faces ‘decades’ behind bars as he and his mother are found guilty of fraud – 31 March 2025
Sean Kingston and his mother were found guilty of swindling more than $1 million from car dealerships, banks, jewellers, and even a mattress company using fake documents to score luxury goods, including a bulletproof Escalade and a colossal TV.
Corporate regulator gets down to business in 1Q25 – 31 March 2025
ASIC was active in the first quarter of 2025 with several financial adviser banning’s and serious court action. Article details the most significant action announced by ASIC or the FSCP in the first three months of the year.
Building in Philippines hides dark secret ripping off Aussies – 1 April 2025
Corporate offices (aca “boiler rooms”) across Asia are hiding scammers who are pretending to be romantic partners, crypto enthusiasts and investment gurus to defraud victims online. The AFP announced it had deployed two cybercrime experts to support AFP liaison officers in the Philippines in tackling the problem.
Scams and card fraud on the rise – 2 April 2025
Over two million Australians experienced card fraud and 675,000 responded to a scam in 2023-24, according to new results from the Personal Fraud Survey (PFS) released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/scams-and-card-fraud-rise
Grant Thornton outlines critical preparations for AML regime – 2 April 2025
Businesses should prepare for ‘once in a generation’ amendments to Australia’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) rules, set to take effect in March 2026, Grant Thornton said. Per AUSTRAC, the reforms would bolster Australia’s ability to effectively deter, detect and disrupt money laundering and terrorism financing.
EVP claims StrongRoom founder admitted to fraud, faked accounts – 3 April 2025
One of StrongRoom AI’s biggest investors alleges the start-up’s founder admitted to fraud and faked information to win a government research grant, while a director used its accounts to pay for a trip to Morocco.
Scams cost Australian small businesses AUD $7.9 million – 3 April 2025
In 2024, small businesses across Australia experienced losses amounting to AUD $7.9 million due to scams. This figure, although significantly reduced from the AUD $17.3 million loss in the previous year, remains a significant burden for the business sector. The analysis identifies false billing as the most frequently reported type of scam, with 422 reports and a combined loss exceeding AUD $3.6 million. Despite the lower frequency of investment scam reports, these accounted for the highest losses per incidence, with an estimated total of over AUD $3.7 million from just 50 reports.
https://securitybrief.com.au/story/scams-cost-australian-small-businesses-aud-7-9-million
Melbourne man faces eviction after moving into home linked to suspected NDIS fraudster – 3 April 2025
An ABC investigation has found businesses linked to a suspected NDIS fraudster failed to pay the rent on residential properties, leaving people with disabilities facing eviction. Property owners say they’ve been left to clean up tens of thousands of dollars of damage. The businesses are linked to Melbourne man Khawaja Moeen Haroon, who is at the centre of a multi-agency probe investigating a suspected multi-million-dollar fraud, but denies the allegations.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-03/ndis-participants-eviction-khawaja-moeen-haroon/105107014
Victorian crime figure Tony Mokbel granted bail by Court of Appeal, as he fights to overturn drug convictions – 4 April 2025
Victorian crime figure Tony Mokbel has been granted bail in Victoria’s Court of Appeal. Mokbel’s lawyers successfully argued there were “exceptional circumstances” that warranted his release. Mokbel will be subject to extensive bail conditions, including wearing an ankle monitor and reporting daily to police.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-04/tony-mokbel-victoria-crime-boss-bail-decision/105135556
Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 28 March 2025
Man who pretended to be nurse at Adelaide hospital has ‘narcissistic’ personality component, court hears – 21 March 2025
Brandon Chesney previously pleaded guilty to offences relating to him impersonating a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. A victim who was attended to by Chesney at the hospital said the offending had resulted in her having trust issues with the state’s health system. Chesney will be sentenced next week.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-21/sa-man-brandon-chesney-faked-being-a-nurse-at-rah/105080638
Integrity watchdog boss steps aside from six defence investigations – 23 March 2025
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has confirmed its chief Paul Brereton has recused himself from six defence matters referred to the watchdog and assigned those matters to a deputy commissioner. Integrity experts are concerned about how Mr Brereton is handling potential conflict of interest issues related to defence.
The integrity watchdog will appear before a Senate committee.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-23/integrity-watchdog-boss-steps-aside/105084982
Doctor takes script fraud across interstate lines – 24 March 2025
A doctor who stole a colleague’s prescription pad and forged her signature had his tangled web of lies uncovered when he took his crimes interstate. His conduct was revealed in court documents presented before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Thirty criminal charges and VCAT has reprimanded Dr Whyte for his actions and disqualified him from reapplying for registration for 18 months.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/doctor-takes-script-fraud-across-001055797.html
Gavin Jeffery Durbridge jailed for 1991 rape of 13-year-old boy in Carine park – 25 March 2025
A 55-year-old man has today been sentenced to eight years in prison, marking the first successful prosecution of a person identified through Investigative Genetic Genealogy techniques in Western Australia. https://www.facebook.com/WA.Police/posts/a-55-year-old-man-has-today-been-sentenced-to-eight-years-in-prison-marking-the-/1070996015071585/
Disability advocacy service in administration amid grant funding investigation – 25 March 2025
SA’s Disability Rights Advocacy Service has gone into administration and an “urgent assessment of its operations and financial position” is underway.
The appointment of administrators comes amid an investigation into the handling of grant funding by the past management of the service.
A meeting of creditors, which is legally required to be held, has been scheduled.
NSW Police arrest seven men after organised crime theft of 1.4 tonnes of tobacco in Sydney – 26 March 2025
Police have arrested seven men following the theft of 1.4 tonnes of tobacco in incidents across Sydney. In one incident, a man suffered a partially severed toe at Condell Park in January. Detectives are still investigating a raid at North Rocks where they found $10 million worth of tobacco.
Crooked – 27 March 2025
A decade-long investigation has uncovered explosive new evidence suggesting that corrupt former NSW Crime Commission assistant director Mark Standen’s criminality was far more extensive than the public was led to believe. While Standen was jailed for a single drug importation, he is the most senior crime fighter in the country ever to be convicted for such an offence. And now sources and official documents indicate he protected criminals, sabotaged investigations, and is believed to have helped facilitate multiple imports of illegal drugs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-27/crooked/105101538
Nine newspapers subscribers have data exposed online in breach – 27 March 2025
The data of thousands of Nine newspapers subscribers has been exposed online following a major cybersecurity breach. Sixteen-thousand subscribers of the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Financial Review have had their names, postal addresses and email addresses left exposed online. The organisation said it is contacting all of its subscribers who have been impacted.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-27/data-16000-nine-newspapers-readers-breach/105105692
Whistleblowers sceptical as details of review into NSW Police culture emerge – 27 March 2025
NSW Police has confirmed that a review into claims of a toxic culture are now underway. Last year, ABC investigations explored claims of widespread homophobia, bullying, sexism and a lack of mental health support with the state’s police force. Former senior sergeant Mel Cooper, who was one of the first to speak out, says she has not been contacted by NSW Police.
Documents expose safety breaches at G8 Education childcare centres – 27 March 2025
G8 Education, Australia’s billion-dollar listed childcare empire, has become embroiled in a damning document dump revealing dozens of its centres in NSW have exposed children to serious safety risks including toxic chemicals, inappropriate discipline, yelling, children going missing and disturbing cases of alleged sexual assaults. The revelations form part of a major ABC investigation into the $20 billion childcare industry.
AFP, Banks Warn Students of Side-Hustle Scams – 27 March 2025
The AFP claim criminal networks are using the start of the new university year to target students through online job ads offering quick and easy money for tasks that seem legitimate on the surface, but are ultimately illicit. These jobs may seem harmless however, the consequences can be catastrophic for victims. Criminals are either manipulating victims to launder illicit funds for them or stealing victims’ identities, scamming them and leaving them out of pocket.
https://www.miragenews.com/afp-banks-warn-students-of-side-hustle-scams-1433460/
How ex-Uber Eats exec stole $80K from 50 Aussie restaurants – 28 March 2025
A former Uber Eats executive managed to rort the system and steal almost $80K from 50 restaurants across Australia. Here’s how he did it.
Access to Daily Telegraph required to read article
Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 21 March 2025
Five criminal charges dropped against ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle – 14 March 2025
Criminal charges against Richard Boyle, who blew the whistle on aggressive tax collection practices, have been dropped, including three counts of attempting to disclose protected information and two counts of attempting to divulge or communicate a tax file number. But three other charges of attempting to disclose protected information remain.
Rideshare driver to pay back over $125,000 after compensation scheme fraud – 14 March 2025
An individual from Clayton South in Victoria has been ordered to pay back more than $125,000 after defrauding the state’s workers’ compensation system. Abid Khan, was caught receiving weekly compensation and superannuation payments despite already working as a rideshare driver.
Australia’s results improve in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index – 18 March 2025
Australia scored 77 out of 100 in Transparency International’s recently released Corruption Perceptions Index (2024), representing an improved score from prior years, and re-entering the top 10 for the first time in almost a decade. Commentators have attributed the improvement to the Federal Government’s integrity reforms over the last few years, including new foreign bribery and anti-money laundering laws.
NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy officially sacked by government after ICAC scandal – 18 March 2025
Mr Murphy was stood down by the government on March 8, just over a week after Ms Finocchiaro was first made aware of Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) findings against him. ICAC found in early 2024 Mr Murphy engaged in “improper conduct” by helping his good friend get a high-placed job in the police force, and sitting on the panel that hired him.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/nt-michael-murphy-officially-sacked/105068762
AI squeezes the juice from data to stop scams – 18 March 2025
AI technology is being adopted at a rapid rate by local banks to combat fraud, according to the AFR Intelligence white paper, Second generation technology: Banking on the next transformation, commissioned by NextGen. The report’s findings show more than three-quarters (83 per cent) of Australian banking executives say they are implementing AI in their operations, making the financial services sector an Australian AI leader.
Court tells Meta to unlock scam data in win for Twiggy on crypto ads – 19 March 2025
A US judge has ordered tech giant Meta to hand over details about how fraudsters use its platform after the company revealed it has hosted 230,000 scam ads featuring billionaire Andrew Forrest’s image since 2019. The revelations emerged during a hearing in California, as part of Forrest’s long-running legal battle over scam cryptocurrency advertisements, featuring the mining magnate published on Meta’s platforms, which have cost Australians millions of dollars.
Police investigator into murder of Glenn Walewicz details how they cracked the case in first public interview – 19 March 2025
For the first time, the lead investigator on the death of Glenn Walewicz has detailed how police found those responsible. 48-year-old Glenn Walewicz died in mid-June after he was shot outside his Canberra home. It was nearly a year before the mastermind was found. This was due to persistence and some help from modern technology.
‘Flash’ messages, fake websites, and ex-Cyclone Alfred: Scammers’ latest tricks – 20 March 2025
According to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s latest Targeting Scams report, scam losses reported to key organisations hit $2 billion in 2024. Scammers are becoming more creative and finding new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting Australians. From caller ID spoofing to severe weather recovery scams and fake websites, the article lists the latest scams to watch out for right now.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australia-latest-scams-warning/41gk5kark
Australian victims warned over rising cryptocurrency exchange impersonation scams – 20 March 2025
The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC), in partnership with the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3), has reached out to more than 130 potential victims alerting them to the impersonation scam targeting the Binance cryptocurrency exchange. They were identified through messages found on an end-to-end encryption platform. Targets were allegedly contacted via SMS and encrypted messaging platforms by someone claiming to be a Binance representative who said their cryptocurrency accounts had been breached.
ICAC probe clears police and solicitors over Colleen Gwynne charges – 20 March 2025
The NT’s corruption watchdog investigated allegations that senior police and solicitors abused their power by maliciously pursuing a criminal case against Colleen Gwynne.
The ICAC delegate ultimately determined the “evidence does not support the making of any finding of improper conduct”. The NT Attorney-General has sought a briefing from her department on the report, which the ICAC finalised nearly a year ago.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-20/colleen-gwynne-icac-report-police-investigation/105078074
Conman Peter Foster gets $170k from cops … and wants more – 21 March 2025
NSW Police have been ordered to pay Australia’s greatest conman $170,000 in legal costs after his spectacular arrest on a Queensland beach exposed decades of improper practices.
https://apple.news/AV1ENBQ3jRR628gm1jtTWKw
https://www.2gb.com/quite-ironic-notorious-conman-scores-170k-legal-win/
NSW upper house committee to launch inquiry into troubled childcare sector – 21 March 2025
A parliamentary inquiry has been called into the troubled childcare sector following a landmark ABC investigation into serious safety breaches in the industry. The NSW upper house committee on education met and formally backed an inquiry. Submissions will remain open until the end of May, with public hearings scheduled for August, September and October in Sydney and regional NSW
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-21/nsw-to-launch-inquiry-into-childcare-sector/105078484
