Criminals are using Australia's national cybercrime reporting channel and impersonating police to try to scam Australians out of funds from their cryptocurrency or seed wallets.
According to the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3), cybercriminals have illicitly obtained personal information - such as email addresses and phone numbers - and used them to submit false reports to Australia's national cybercrime reporting tool, ReportCyber.
AFP cybercrime investigators detailed one real-life case that illustrates how the scam works.
The target was called by someone purporting to be from the AFP. They were told someone had been arrested on the weekend and the victim had subsequently been identified in a data breach related to cryptocurrency and finance.
The AFP impersonator claimed a cybercrime report had been submitted and they supplied the target with an official reference number. This appeared plausible because ReportCyber allows individuals to report cybercrime on behalf of victims. The scam caller then asked the target to check the report status themselves in the ReportCyber portal by submitting their email address, reinforcing the scam's credibility when it appeared.
The scammer then advised that another contact would come from a representative of the cryptocurrency platform, who would provide the same reference number to verify legitimacy. This second caller then tried to get the target to transfer money from their platform wallet to a 'Cold Storage' account. Thankfully the target became suspicious and hung up.
Other cases have included techniques such as 'spoofing' of legitimate phone numbers.
AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said this emerging scam offered a veneer of legitimacy.
"These cybercriminals step through a process to verify the target's personal information which may match common expectations," she said. "What's more, because they move quickly from making the report to calling the target, they can create a sense of urgency."
She said the scam spoke to the increasingly sophisticated and calculated techniques cybercriminals employed to abuse the trust of Australians.
However, the fact it came to police attention through self-reporting highlights the community's growing cyber awareness.
She encouraged people to remain extremely wary online.
"We encourage Australians to adopt necessary safety measures online and take a moment to stop their scroll, check for warning signs of scams and protect themselves from cybercrime," she said.
"If you're contacted by someone about a ReportCyber report you didn't lodge or authorise someone to make on your behalf, terminate the call and notify ReportCyber or 1300CYBER1 (1300 292 371).
"Also bear in mind legitimate law enforcement officials will never request access to your cryptocurrency accounts, wallets, bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallet seed phrases, or any personal information relating to your financial accounts."
Members of the public are still encouraged to report cybercrimes via ReportCyber. The platform remains a safe and secure tool for Australians to use in reporting cybercrime. But as with other scams, individuals should be aware of how their personal details may be used by criminals to extort further information through legitimate online platforms.
"Every cybercrime report can help police track criminals, assist in building intelligence on emerging cyber threats, and prevent other people from being targeted," Det-Supt Andersson said.
The JPC3 brings together Australian law enforcement and key industry and international partners to fight cybercrime and prevent harm and financial loss to the Australian community.
We are committed to equipping all Australians with the knowledge and resources to protect themselves against cybercrime.
Watch our cybercrime prevention videos and protect yourself from being a victim of cybercrime.
If there is an immediate threat to life or risk of harm, call 000.
If you are a victim of cybercrime, report it to police using ReportCyber.
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