AFP partners with Filipino counterparts to identify Australian victims of scams
The search for victims began after Philippine authorities dismantled a major fraud scheme in Manila last month.
An Australian Federal Police team is currently investigating a scam resort in Pasay City, central Manila, after Philippine law enforcement busted a romance scam operation in early October 2024.
Philippine authorities arrested more than 250 cybercriminals responsible for the scam operations and shortly after, two AFP members joined their Manila-based AFP liaison to search the compound for evidence of the scams. Australian victims of scammers.
AFP technical and cryptocurrency experts are now working with the Philippines Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to identify victims and better understand how scammers extracted money of their victims.
Once victims are identified, the AFP-led Joint Police Collaboration Center against Cybercrime will begin contacting potential victims.
AFP Deputy Commissioner David McLean called the investigation an “important milestone” for Operation Firestorm, launched earlier this year to combat foreign cybercrime syndicates.
“Much of the cybercrime affecting Australians originates overseas, and this action demonstrates how the AFP and its international partners are proactively leading the fight against these syndicates where they operate,” McLean said in a statement.
“We commend the PAOCC and NBI for their work in identifying this boiler room and taking prompt action to shut it down.
“I thank them for the trust they have shown in the AFP by allowing us to work with them.
“We have gathered valuable intelligence into the structure of these types of fraudulent call centers, how they target Australians and ways to help identify victims.
“An AFP cryptocurrency expert has received a unique insight into the financial and money laundering structures operating within these centers, and this will be extremely useful in developing our strategies to combat this crime that affects the Australia.”
If you are a victim of cybercrime, report it to the police using Report Cyber.
