Australia Warns Criminals Are Abusing National Cybercrime Platform to Drain Crypto Wallets
Fraudsters are weaponizing Australia's national cybercrime reporting system to impersonate federal police and drain crypto wallets, authorities warned Wednesday.
False reports are being filed through ReportCyber, the government's official platform for reporting cybercrimes, using stolen personal information, then calling victims while masquerading as AFP officers to steal digital assets, according to the Australian Federal Police statement.
The scam appears convincing because criminals “verify personal information in ways that match common expectations” and act fast “to create a sense of urgency,” AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said in the statement.
Cybercriminals have illicitly obtained personal details, including email addresses and phone numbers, to submit fraudulent reports through the platform, according to the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre.
The AFP says the system permits third-party reporting on behalf of victims, a feature the scammers exploit to establish credibility.
Decrypt has reached out to the AFP for further comments.
How the scam operates
The police detailed in its statement how one of these particular scams operated.
One of the victims was reportedly called by someone posing as an AFP officer, told their name appeared in a crypto-related data breach, and given an official-looking ReportCyber reference number, the AFP said.
When the victim saw the matching report filed by the scammer, the scheme appeared credible. A second caller, posing as a crypto platform, used the same reference number to push a transfer to a fake cold storage wallet.
The victim became suspicious and hung up before transferring any money. Police said similar cases use spoofed phone numbers to mimic real AFP lines.
Andersson urged vigilance, saying Australians should “check for warning signs, and protect themselves.”
Authorities stressed that genuine officers will never request access to crypto accounts, seed phrases, or banking information.
Anyone contacted about a ReportCyber submission they didn’t make should hang up and call 1300 CYBER1, Andersson said, noting how legitimate reports remain vital for helping police “track criminals and prevent others from being targeted.”
Enforcement against crypto scams
The warning arrives as Australian regulators strengthen their campaign against crypto-related fraud on multiple fronts.
Last month, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced pending legislation to regulate crypto ATMs, labeling the machines a "high-risk product" linked to money laundering and child exploitation.
In August, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission reported taking down roughly 3,015 crypto scam websites over two years, part of 14,000 total fraudulent sites removed.
Meanwhile, the financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC's CEO, Brendan Thomas, flagged digital currencies as a top threat in July, describing new anti-money laundering regulations as "the most ambitious overhaul of Australia's anti-money laundering laws in a generation."
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
Hyperliquid News Today: The Crypto Craze Versus Real Progress—Meme Tokens Face Off Against Privacy-Focused Infrastructure
- Trump's $TRUMP meme coin raises $148M via exclusive dinner, sparking political backlash and regulatory scrutiny over elected officials' crypto profits. - Canary Funds files first MOG Coin ETF, mirroring Bitcoin/Ethereum models, signaling institutional interest in meme coins despite speculative risks. - ZKP's $100M healthcare/finance infrastructure project leverages privacy-focused AI and hardware, contrasting with short-term volatility of XRP/Hyperliquid. - Hyperliquid's $4.9M stress test loss and unprov

Japan’s FSA Tightens Security on Crypto by Requiring Custodians to Register
- Japan's FSA mandates crypto exchanges to use registered custodians post-2024 DMM Bitcoin hack, requiring third-party providers to pre-register with regulators. - The rule addresses regulatory gaps exposing cold wallet vulnerabilities, as Tokyo-based Ginco's breach revealed unregulated external firms handling critical operations. - Parallel initiatives include JPYC stablecoin approval and a 2025 bank-led stablecoin payment pilot under the FSA's Payment Innovation Project. - The FSA plans 2026 legal reform
User Empowerment Fuels Valdora’s $10M TVL Growth in DeFi
- Valdora Finance, a ZIGChain liquid staking protocol, reached $10M TVL days post-launch, now tracked by DefiLlama. - Its non-custodial model enables ZIG token staking with liquidity retention via stZIG derivatives, aligning with DeFi sovereignty trends. - ZIGChain's strategic partnership with Valdora highlights its cross-chain ambitions and growing institutional confidence in its infrastructure. - Despite regulatory risks, the protocol's composability and scalability position ZIGChain as a rising DeFi hub
XRP News Today: BIS Risk Weighting Limits XRP's Function in Bank Liquidity
- XRP's limited adoption by banks stems from BIS's 1250% risk weight on unbacked crypto, not technical flaws. - Ripple tests RLUSD stablecoin with Mastercard/WebBank to enable blockchain-based credit card settlements. - Policy shift in crypto risk weighting is critical for XRP to replace USD as cross-border liquidity bridge. - RLUSD's $1B+ circulation and BNY Mellon backing demonstrate regulated stablecoin viability in payments. - Regulatory barriers persist despite industry progress, keeping XRP confined

