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The potential victims – mostly men – were alerted via text message today (31 January) that they may be being targeted by a scam operation in the Philippines.
The National Anti-Scam Centre, in partnership with the Australian Federal Police, sent texts to more than 5,000 Australians, warning them that they may be the target of a sophisticated romance scam operation.
The possible victims – largely men – were warned today to be wary of sending money to people they have met on the internet and told how to proceed if they already have transferred funds to the scammers.
The victims were identified following an investigation by Philippine authorities, which uncovered a scam compound in Manilla. Around 1,000 mobile phones were recovered, alongside more than 300 desktop PCs and thousands of SIM cards.
Philippine authorities shared the intelligence gathered by the operation with their international partners, and the AFP’s Joint Policing Cybercrime Collaboration Centre was able to identify potential Australian victims.
So far, 250 suspects have been arrested in connection to the operation.
“The AFP worked closely with our partners, the National Anti-Scam Centre and Philippines Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the National Bureau of Investigation, to ensure Australians targeted by this malicious scam were identified and given advice to help protect themselves online,” AFP Commander Cybercrime Operations Graeme Marshall said in a statement.
“We urge anyone who received a text message warning from the National Anti-Scam Centre to take it very seriously and refrain from sending money to people you’ve met online.
“If you have already sent someone money or cryptocurrency, please report it to your bank immediately, then to police via ReportCyber. To help others avoid similar scams, you can also report it to ScamWatch.”
Commander Marshall said the AFP’s message was simple: “Protect your heart and your wallet. If it feels too good to be true, it probably is.”
“There are many warning signs someone you’ve met online could be trying to scam you. In this case, the scammer would ask to move the conversation from an online dating app to an end-to-end encryption messaging platform,” Commander Marshall said.
“Cyber criminals commonly use this technique to protect themselves from being reported and removed from online dating or social media platforms.
“We urge the public to familiarise themselves with the warning signs of romance scams to help protect themselves, loved ones, friends and family when interacting with people online.”
According to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission deputy chair Catriona Lowe, Australians lost $23.6 million to dating and romance scams in 2024 – and that’s just what’s been reported.
“Romance scammers prey on people seeking connection. Criminals build trust over time and often abuse this trust by encouraging people to make large investments, leaving victims with significant financial losses and emotional distress,” Lowe said.
“We encourage people to always independently verify any investment opportunity via trusted sources such as an Australian registered financial advisor.”
What to do if you’re a victim of a scam:
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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