Australians seen as ‘easy prey’ for crypto scams
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Australians, seen as “easy prey,” are increasingly targeted by overseas cryptocurrency scams, particularly from Ukrainian call centers.
A former worker, identified as Mark, revealed that Australians are seen as wealthy and trusting, making them attractive targets for fraudsters.
In an interview with ABC, Mark described the call center environment as professional and enticing, with employees drawn by good pay.
“I was told Australians have good money, a good salary,” he stated.
He also noted that scammers prefer Australians over Americans due to perceived leniency in Australian law enforcement compared to the United States, where authorities actively pursue fraudsters.
Law enforcement’s response to the growing threat
Ken Gamble, a private investigator with IFW Global, highlighted the proactive measures taken by U.S. authorities, which deter scammers from targeting Americans.
“They have successfully prosecuted and extradited hundreds of fraudsters from overseas, who have committed these types of crimes against Americans. So most of the call centres around the world have America on the Do Not Call list. Traditionally they just don’t call Americans because of the fear of having the FBI come after them,” Gamble stated.
On the other hand, Gamble said that Australians are “easy prey” because the authorities were known not to go after such scammers.
“[There is] no such fear in Australia because traditionally, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have never gone after these scammers,” he added.
In response, the AFP has launched initiatives like Operation Firestorm to disrupt criminal networks. Detective Inspector Nuckhley Succar outlined efforts to collaborate with international law enforcement to combat cyber-enabled fraud.
Succar explained that the AFP is “based in various locations internationally — 33 countries to be exact — and through our international network, we’re able to work with the law enforcement and international partners within those jurisdictions on various crimes, including cyber enabled fraud, which lend into scam centres.”
Inside the operations of scam syndicates
Scam syndicates operate like legitimate businesses, employing numerous staff and using sophisticated techniques to defraud victims.
Mark shared insights into these operations, including cultural training for employees to manipulate targets effectively. He recounted how he was trained to engage Australians by making them feel comfortable and leveraging personal information to build trust.
“They put you in a classroom and you do exams,” he told the ABC.
Mark also stated that he interacted with approximately 20 Australians daily, successfully persuading about half a dozen of them to invest in the fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
The devastating impact on victims
The impact of these scams can be severe. Pieter Boele, an 82-year-old Australian, lost over $2 million through fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes.
“It’s my fault that I went into it this far without realizing this is dangerous. And that mistake is easily made, especially if you see things and it’s going well, and you put in $1,000 and then you see $1,000 in crypto in your account, you think it’ll work,” Boele stated.
Ken Gamble described these scams as “soul-destroying,” highlighting how they exploit the goodwill and trust of honest individuals. He called for more robust law enforcement responses akin to those used against drug trafficking and human exploitation.
Calls for stronger measures against scams
While initiatives like the National Anti Scam Centre and Operation Firestorm are steps in the right direction, experts argue that more needs to be done.
Gamble advocates for a national cyber fraud task force focused on dismantling overseas scam networks targeting Australians.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) reported removing thousands of scam websites but acknowledged limitations in their enforcement powers regarding foreign jurisdictions.
As scams continue to proliferate, authorities face significant challenges in protecting Australians from these sophisticated criminal enterprises.
