PAOCC, AFP bust love scam syndicate targeting Aussies

The Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) revealed that approximately 5,000 Australian nationals have been victims of a love scam syndicate based in the Philippines, with an estimated loss of AUS $24 million.

Scammers, often impersonating Filipino women, used detailed scripts to build fake romantic relationships over about a week.

Victims were sometimes persuaded to invest in cryptocurrency trading, which scammers presented as a successful venture.

The scams targeted lonely individuals, with scammers sometimes portraying themselves as kind-hearted Filipino women living in Australia or the Philippines.

Authorities have traced the scamming operations back to the Philippines, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, PAOCC, and the National Bureau of Investigation collaborating to address the issue.

PAOCC Executive Director Usec. Gilbert Cruz expressed concern about the Philippines being a center for scamming operations, noting that Chinese and European nationals have also been victimized.

Scammers would offer to teach victims how to make cryptocurrency investments ranging from $300 to $800 Australian dollars.