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Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 7 February 2025
Corruption probe leads to sacking of BHP contractors – 3 February 2025
BHP has allegedly sacked more than two dozen contractors as part of a corruption investigation into its coal operations in Queensland. According to The Australian, 26 contractors – who were all hired to work at the Saraji mine in the Bowen Basin – have been axed after the mining giant uncovered non-existent work or jobs where the extent of the work was greatly exaggerated. Some of the roles are understood to have been part time or had yet to commence.
https://procurementandsupply.com/corruption-probe-leads-to-sacking-of-bhp-contractors/
Scam alert: ASIC warns consumers about investment bond scam impersonating Bunnings – 3 February 2025
Scammers are impersonating Bunnings Warehouse by offering fake sustainability investment bonds.
The scam offers higher than market returns and claims that investments are protected by the government. It contains links to Bunnings’ genuine website, but Bunnings does not offer bonds or any other investment products.
Weak scam policies placing super members at risk, warns ASIC – 3 February 2025
An ASIC review found that superannuation trustees’ anti-scam practices were insufficient, according to an open letter signed by ASIC Commissioner Simone Constant. Out of the 15 superannuation trustees included in the review, none had an organisation-wide scams policy to protect their customers.
Criticism over inadequate actions to compensate victims in touted Scams Prevention Framework – 4 February 2025
The Albanese government’s new Bill to help victims of scams has been criticised for not doing enough to help people get their money back. Banks, telcos and social media platforms won’t be forced to automatically compensate scam victims, as part of the federal government’s Scams Prevention Framework, aimed at protecting Australians from financial crime.
Coinbase users lose $65M to scams, ZachXBT reports – 4 February 2025
Onchain investigator known as ZachXBT reported that users of the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) have lost over $65 million due to social engineering scams between December 2024 and January 2025. He revealed how scammers employed stolen personal data from private databases to execute their schemes.
Fraud Section picks monitors for Australian shipbuilder – 5 February 2025
The US Department of Justice has chosen two partners at a risk and compliance consultancy to serve as monitors for Australian shipbuilder Austal, which pleaded guilty in 2024 to misleading investors.
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Bank sues customer who lost $2.6m to scammers – 5 February 2025
Sylvia Chou lost $2.6 million to scammers of a sophisticated currency exchange trading scheme. They cleaned out her personal savings then got her to borrow money from friends and family and refinance her properties. NAB is now suing her for $1.4 million plus interest because of a discrepancy when she refinanced her properties. Chou is lending her support to news.com.au’s campaign People Before Profit, calling on the federal government to make it mandatory for banks to compensate scam victims – just like in the UK.
Australian victims of online dating scams lose almost $12k on average – 5 February 2025
New research has revealed that scammers are taking advantage of Australians looking for love via online dating apps, with 40 per cent of Australian users reporting being targeted by some form of dating scam. Catfishing, another form of false identity scam, accounts for 29 per cent of dating scams, while fake dating sites are responsible for another 26 per cent.
Court hears youth justice officer risked jail time by secretly recording murder-accused inside Don Dale detention centre – 6 February 2025
A series of secret recordings of a detainee at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre were thrown out as evidence in a high-profile murder trial, after a judge found them to be a “significant intrusion into the accused’s rights”. The 17-year-old target of the recordings was last year found guilty, along with three others, of murdering an 18-year-old man in Palmerston in 2022.
Telco issues major scam warning – 6 February 2025
Australia is currently the biggest victim of scam in the world, with Australians losing $100 per head compared with $45 per head in the United States. In the UK scammers are losing around $34 per person. People fall for phishing scams within 10 seconds of arriving in the mailbox. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) issued an alert warning of scammers impersonating the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
Westpac Bank strikes $80k settlement with Kiwi scam victims who lost $323k to investment fraud – 6 February 2025
One of the country’s biggest banks has struck an $80,000 financial settlement with a Kiwi couple who lost $323,000 in an elaborate investment scam – offering a “goodwill payment” to resolve the dispute. The stolen cash was tracked to the account of an Australian “money mule”, who claims he was an “intermediary” for investors. Private school principal Mark Geraets accused Westpac of negligence after he and his wife Yvonne lost their life savings in March last year.
Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 30 January 2025
Chinese model rescued from scam centre in Myanmar – 17 January 2025
Chinese authorities have reportedly rescued a Chinese model who was caught up in a human-trafficking ring in Myanmar’s lawless borderlands.
Chinese and Thai police had jointly arrested 12 suspects allegedly involved in the scam operations where the victims were being held.The model and several other victims have been returned to China.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-17/chinese-model-rescued-from-scam-centre-in-myanmar/104831514
NSW Introduces Australia’s First Coercive Control Laws – 18 January 2025
New South Wales has taken a landmark step in addressing domestic abuse. On July 1, 2024, the state became the first in Australia to criminalise coercive control. The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022, passed in November 2022, introduces a standalone offense targeting patterns of abuse in intimate relationships.
Queensland man jailed for falsely claiming COVID, flood relief payments – 22 January 2025
A north Queensland man will spend four months behind bars, after receiving more than $40,000 in COVID-19 and disaster payments. The Mackay man claimed $3,000 for himself and used his bank account to host the fraudulent claims of 25 others. The man will serve jail time and pay $10,000 in reparations to the Commonwealth over the next four years.
‘Tens of millions’: BHP sackings tip of corruption iceberg – 22 January 2025
The 26 contractors sacked by BHP so far amid a corruption probe all came from one mine. More are in the firing line.
Access to digital version of Australian required to read article
Optus says tough new scam rules are ‘unworkable’ – 22 January 2025
Australia’s biggest telco companies are fighting new scam legislation, claiming they should only be required to comply with industry codes – which cannot be enforced by law. These new rules aim to stop Australians being plagued by scams on their phones and social media.
Payroll Manager Admits to Two Employee Fraud Counts – 23 January 2025
Former payroll manager and gambling addict, Brendan Wayne Dodd pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by an employee of at least $100,000. Brisbane’s District Court heard Dodd was working at Vita Group Ltd in Albion, when he made 99 transfers totalling $411,000 over two years and five months to himself, modifying records to disguise the payments. A psychologist’s report indicated Dodd exhibited obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms which were masked by gambling.
https://www.miragenews.com/payroll-manager-admits-to-two-employee-fraud-1395748/
WA agricultural lobby group halts operations to investigate financial misconduct – 24 January 2025
The future of an agricultural lobby group in WA is in question following a financial misconduct investigation. The president of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association says financial misconduct has been uncovered, but the organisation will survive.
The organisation will cease collecting membership fees and staff are to be stood down in the short-term.
‘Enough is enough’: Banks ramp up attack on tech giants over scams – 27 January 2025
Australian banks have called out Facebook’s parent company, Meta, for enabling scammers to use its social media platforms to lure victims and facilitate money laundering, in an escalation of their attack on tech giants for “avoiding responsibility” in tackling scams. They have accused Meta of failing to remove pages and posts even after they had been flagged as fraudulent.
Perth financial advisor Anthony Paul Torre admits stealing $1 million from clients’ superannuation funds – 28 January 2025
Anthony Paul Torre has admitted to stealing $1.03 million from three couples, one individual and one company. The offences happened between March 2010 and January 2015. The 56-year-old is “highly likely” to receive an immediate prison sentence when he is sentenced.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-28/anthony-paul-torre-admits-stealing-clients-money/104868710
Trump administration fires more than a dozen prosecutors – 28 January 2025
The US Justice Department says it has fired more than a dozen employees who worked on criminal investigations into Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith resigned from the department this month after submitting a two-volume report on the twin investigations into Mr Trump’s efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election and his hoarding of classified documents. It was also not immediately known how many of the fired prosecutors intended to challenge the terminations.
Nant distilling founder Keith Batt in court on 736 charges over alleged investor fraud – 29 January 2025
The founder of Nant Distilling, Keith Batt, has appeared in court facing charges for allegedly defrauding investors in a whisky investment scheme.
Court documents list 56 alleged victims of stealing and dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage, covering an alleged $586,680. Batt has not entered a plea and will next appear in court in May.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-29/tas-nant-whisky-court-case/104871256
Why Australia needs better whistleblower protections – Full Story podcast – 28 January 2025
Blowing the whistle on corruption, wrongdoing and unethical behaviour can come at a huge personal cost to those who choose to speak out. Kieran Pender, associate legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, tells Nour Haydar why more needs to be done to ensure workers who speak up about wrongdoing are protected
Bendigo Bank blames Danny McIver after he lost $70k to scammers – 28 January 2025
In September last year, Mr McIver was on his computer and a message flashed up from Microsoft warning he had been hacked. It urged him to call a number provided and he was told to download software which then gave hackers access to his computer. He then lost 70,0000. He is pursuing a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority with assistance from IT expert. The biggest issue being why Bendigo back didn’t stop the large transfers of money.
Should social media companies compensate scam victims? – 28 January 2025
Social media companies could be responsible for compensating scam victims under draft laws introduced by the federal government.
ASIC sets key regulatory focus areas for Australia’s financial system – 28 January 2025
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released its regulatory focus areas for 2025, highlighting critical issues that impact financial markets, consumer protection, and economic stability. These priorities reflect ASIC’s ongoing surveillance of the financial system and its mandate to maintain trust, integrity, and resilience across sectors.
Australia’s regulatory crackdown targets bribery, money laundering and cybercrime – 28 January 2025
This article discuss investigations trends and developments, law reforms impacting corporate criminal liability, sectors targeted by law reforms or criminal enforcement and predictions for 2025 and many other key regulatory areas.
NSW Police sergeant accused of filming and distributing vision of colleague’s genitals given warning – 28 January 2025
A complaint to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) alleged a NSW Police sergeant on a long drive with two junior officers allegedly refused to stop the car to allow one of the officers to use the bathroom. The officer was allegedly forced to urinate into a bottle, while the Sergeant filmed his genitals before sending the vision to a WhatsApp group.
The matter was investigated by NSW Police after a complaint by a whistleblower to the LECC, with police finding the behaviour was “unprofessional” but not “criminal”.
‘Shut me up’: Bank’s gross move after scam leaves Sydney man ‘disgusted’ – 29 January 2025
Dean Cropp wants to see laws introduced into Australia to ensure that scam victims are compensated just like in the UK. Article explains how he was scammed $40000 and that banks only gave him $1000.
Qld man accused of impersonating dead people in alleged $460k loan fraud – 29 January 2025
A Queensland man is facing 140 charges over an alleged fraud scheme in which he is accused of impersonating multiple people, living and dead at Gympie and the Gold Coast.
Access to gympie times required to read articles
ASIC super boss Simone Constant warns $3tr nest-egg becoming soft target as banks, telcos lift scam game – 30 January 2025
Australia’s financial watchdog fears superannuation funds will become the soft target for scammers if they fail to improve their fraud-fighting and anti-scam systems. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has called on super trustees overseeing $3 trillion of retirement savings to start finding ways to improve their technology and governance as millions of people headed towards retirement.
Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 24 January 2025
Pakistani court sentences ex-prime minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison – 17 January 2025
A Pakistani court has sentenced the country’s former prime minister Imran Khan to 14 years in jail after finding him guilty of corruption. His wife was also sentenced to seven years in the same case. The couple are accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for laundered money when Khan was in power.
Victorian ‘whistleblower’ prosecuted after leaking information from Lawyer X investigation office – 17 January 2025
A public servant who leaked details about an investigation into Victoria’s Lawyer X scandal has been taken to court. It came after the state’s integrity watchdog launched a probe to find out who was behind the source of leaks to the Herald Sun.
The public servant was granted a diversion, meaning they will not receive a conviction or a blemish on their criminal record if they are of good behaviour for the next six months.
Australia Post warning over $19.3 million QR code rort: ‘Record amounts’ – 18 January 2025
Aussies are being urged to be on the lookout for a new “sophisticated” scam that’s lurking on Facebook Marketplace. Scammers are using fake QR codes from Australia Post to make sellers think that they have prepaid shipping for the item they’re offloading to the buyer. The seller is told to scan these codes to get the money for the item and confirm the sale, but that’s where the heist happens.
The code takes people to a phishing site that isn’t the official Australia Post website and your valuable personal and banking information can be stolen
Centrelink payment warning after Aussies targeted: ‘Urgently update’ – 20 January 2025
The new Centrelink scam of most concern at the moment, involves emails pretending to be from Centrelink, that claim you need to “urgently update” your details therwise your payments will be stopped. But the email will contain a fake myGov website that can steal your valuable information.
KPMG under investigation over audit of gambling company Entain – 20 January 2025
The accounting firm KPMG is under investigation by the sector’s UK regulator over its audit of the 2022 accounts of the gambling company Entain which owns brands including Ladbrokes, Coral and Sportingbet.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/20/kpmg-investigation-entain-frc
Three people, including ex-NAB employee, sentenced for trying to defraud bank of $21 million – 20 January 2025
Three people, including former NAB employee Monika Singh, have been sentenced for trying to defraud the bank of $21 million by using fake vouchers. Reports on the suitability of home detention for the trio are set to be tabled in court on March 21, but Justice Woodburne warned jail was still an option.
Historic fraud offences, Gympie and Gold Coast – 23 January 2025
Police have charged a man with 140 alleged fraud offences after extensive investigations into a series of incidents allegedly committed in 2019 and 2020 in Gympie and on the Gold Coast. The man allegedly fraudulently obtained and attempted to fraudulently obtain loans through various financial institutions, using the stolen identities of multiple people known to him.
https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/maryborough/2025/01/23/historic-fraud-offences-gympie-and-gold-coast/
Canberra tribunal orders $90,000 payout for KFC employee told to express breastmilk in toilet or storeroom – 23 January 2025
A Canberra mother has been awarded $90,000 in compensation by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal after she successfully won a discrimination case against her employer. ACAT found the former KFC employee was not provided with flexible working arrangements and was instead told to express breastmilk in the toilet or a camping-style toilet.
The employer has been ordered to review its policies around giving breastfeeding employees access to adequate facilities for expressing milk.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-23/kfc-employee-act-civil-administrative-tribunal/104851170
Could ‘criminals for hire’ be behind some antisemitic attacks in Australia? Here’s what we know – 23 January 2025
Federal authorities have confirmed they suspect “criminals for hire” may be responsible for some antisemitic attacks in Australia that have seen synagogues, cars, buildings and a childcare centre targeted with arson, graffiti and vile abuse.
But the question of who might be paying any such alleged criminals, and why they want to target the Jewish community in Australia, remains unanswered as police and intelligence agencies continue to investigate the attacks.
Domino’s pizza franchisee banned from employing trainees across 12 stores in South Australia – 23 January 2025
A franchisee operating a dozen Domino’s pizza stores in SA has been banned from employing trainees and apprentices. According to the SA government, Team Van Diemen SA Pty Ltd — which operates “over a quarter” of the Domino’s stores in the state — failed to meet training obligations. The SA Skills Commission has anticipated further action against others in the same sector, warning that the practices it had uncovered were common among fast-food operators.
Experts question how accused drug smuggler used fake documents to flee – 23 January 2025
Hussein Chamas, 35, has not been seen for two weeks after absconding from a rehabilitation centre using forged Supreme Court bail documents. An ex-judge and a crime expert say an in-depth investigation is needed into how the documents were forged. Australian Federal Police officers are working with a range of law enforcement agencies to find the fugitive.
Investigation & Fraud News – Week ending 17 January 2025
Five tips to achieve physical security as Australasia racks up $26 billion investment in data centre capacity – 13 January 2025
Paper describes five tips on how to achieve protection and peace of mind, drawing on our experience as a global leader in architectural and security entrances, operating with scores of Fortune 500 companies, major government agencies, and some of the biggest technology providers across more than 20 countries.
Qld Health worker accused of $180k fraud – 13 January 2025
A Queensland Health employee has been suspended from duties after being accused of money laundering at a southside health centre where she allegedly defrauded more than $180,000.
Access to Courier Mail required to read article
New Report Identifies Cyber Threats to Operational Technology Products – 14 January 2025
According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), threat actors are successfully targeting particular operational technology products rather than specific organisations when compromising operational technology components. To help reduce the potential damage from these types of attacks, the ACSC has released a new report “Secure by Demand: Priority Considerations for Operational Technology Owners and Operators When Selecting Digital Products”. Link to the report is in the article
Written warning becomes dismissal after employee’s investigation emails – 14 January 2025
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently dealt with an unfair dismissal claim where a worker argued he was wrongfully terminated after a workplace vehicle collision. The worker maintained he wasn’t at fault for the accident and that the employer’s investigation process was flawed. The article outlines the case details and final outcome.
Government bolsters scam education to deter fraudsters – 14 January 2025
The government has announced the rollout of another scam campaign aimed at decreasing scam losses and establishing actionable and effective strategies. The campaign includes both TV and social media advert and would equip Australians with simple, actionable strategies to guard against scams.
Four month trial for alleged bank fraudster – 14 January 2025
Sara Daizli is facing 116 fraud charges after allegedly scamming her customers to fund her lavish lifestyle. She allegedly used her role at the bank to transfer customers’ funds into fake accounts and to fake customers between February 2016 and December 2018. One of the main alleged victims is a woman in her 80s who had thousands of dollars transferred out of her account through internet banking, which she had never used.
Banks should be liable for scams, social media firms say – 15 January 2025
Technology companies say they should not be made to compensate victims of scams on their social media platforms, and have pointed the finger at banks in a submission to a parliamentary committee examining the government’s proposed Scams Prevention Framework. The proposed reforms would impose fines of up to $50 million on banks, mobile networks, and social media companies which fail to act on preventing scams
https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2025/banks-should-be-liable-for-scams–social-media-firms-say.html
Scam Prevention Framework Consultation Closes – 15 January 2025
The Scams Prevention Framework (SPF) Bill 2024 (the Bill) has been referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Economics (the Committee) whose report is due to back to the Senate 3 February 2025. The Bill encapsulates a novel, multi-faceted and comprehensive principles-based approach to harden Australia as a target for scammers. The Committee opened a consultation period for written submissions on the Bill which closed 9 January 2025.
https://www.ashurst.com/en/insights/scam-prevention-framework-consultation-closes/
This Aussie tried to sue a scammer. Then things went horribly wrong – 15 January 2025
An Aussie woman who lost $200,000 to scammers, fell for a fake cryptocurrency trading platform called IBC Exchange, took matters into her own hands, tracking down the money mule and then tried to sue him. The process backfired, leaving her even more destitute.
Scammed company Inoteq ordered to pay $190k to Mobius Group after paying fraudulent invoice – 16 January 2025
Company Inoteq Pty Ltd has been ordered to pay more than $190,000 to Mobius Group after paying a fraudulent invoice. Hackers used the email of Mobius’s director to send the invoice with new bank details and the court found Inoteq didn’t do enough to protect itself. Lawyers say the effects of the case are likely to be felt across the country.
Fake ‘crime squad’ duped elderly Australians in letterbox scam – 16 January 2025
A man falsely claiming to be from PayPal’s fraud department, convinced an elderly woman to place $5000 in cash in her letterbox. The fraudster claimed that bank details had been hacked and cards had to be put in an envelope and placed in the victims’ letterboxes to be collected by security officials and locked down to prevent funds from being stolen.
Apple and Google take down crypto apps from alleged $24 billion cyberscam market owner – 16 January 2025
Apple and Google have delisted apps developed by a Cambodian company Huione Group, which is accused of running a multi-billion dollar market for illicit fraud services on Telegram. As much as $24 billion in sales had gone through the platform, making it “the largest illicit online marketplace to have ever operated.
Victorian ‘whistleblower’ prosecuted after leaking information from Lawyer X investigation office – 17 January 2025
A public servant who leaked details about an investigation into Victoria’s Lawyer X scandal has been taken to court. It came after the state’s integrity watchdog launched a probe to find out who was behind the source of leaks to the Herald Sun. The public servant was granted a diversion, meaning they will not receive a conviction or a blemish on their criminal record if they are of good behaviour for the next six months
