Elderly accountant jailed for $9.6m scheme ripping off friends, family
By David Weber and Pip Waller
An elderly Perth accountant who stole nearly $10 million from family, friends and former clients is jailed for more than 11 years.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-05/joseph-papalia-jailed-stealing-friends-family/106108306
Telco Southern Phone fined $2.5m for breaching anti-scam laws
By Caitlin Rawling
The Australian Telecommunications and Media Authority says scammers were able to manipulate the telco's systems to bypass required identity verification processes.
#ScamsandFraud #TelecommunicationsServicesIndustry #ConsumerProtection #CaitlinRawling
Cyber shoplifters costing retailers thousands in 'friendly fraud'
By Adelaide Miller
Frustrated retailers grappling with online shoplifters are calling for better protections from banks, payment providers and regulators.
#OnlineShopping #SmallBusinesses #ScamsandFraud #Banking #CyberCrime #AdelaideMiller
Businesses that send SMS messages now need to register their IDs
By Caitlin Rawling
Organisations using branded identifiers in their text messages to consumers will need to register them by July 1, 2026, or risk being mistaken for a scam.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-01/acma-calls-on-organisations-to-register-sender-ids/106087234
#ScamsandFraud #ConsumerProtection #TelecommunicationsServicesIndustry #MobilePhones #CaitlinRawling
How to spot 'ghost stores' posing as Australian businesses
By Fiona Willan
With Australians expected to spend billions this Black Friday, the consumer watchdog is warning about a growing number of "ghost stores" targeting unsuspecting shoppers and posing as local businesses promising premium goods, when in reality they are shipping fast fashion from overseas.
#ConsumerProtection #ScamsandFraud #RetailIndustry #FionaWillan
Financial abusers appointing victims as directors in government's sights
By Nassim Khadem
The federal government is consulting on major reforms to reduce financial abuse, including making it harder for directors to be appointed without clear consent. Economic abuse is estimated to cost the economy nearly $11 billion a year
#DomesticViolence #Tax #FederalParliament #Superannuation #ScamsandFraud #AccountingCrime #TaxEvasion #FederalGovernment #NassimKhadem
'The names have been selected': Crooked operators rig working visas
By Natasya Salim, Hellena Souisa, and Toby Mann
Thousands of young Indonesians want the chance to come to Australia to work, but first they have to win a visa application "war" that puts them in the sights of scammers and dodgy operators promising them what they want — for a price.
#ScamsandFraud #Immigration #WorldPolitics #NatasyaSalim #HellenaSouisa # #TobyMann
Queensland councils scammed out of millions despite warnings
By Madeline Grace
A year after Gold Coast Council was victim to a fraud attack, Noosa council was also targeted by a sophisticated artificial intelligence scam.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-21/gold-coast-and-noosa-council-scammed/106022070
Regulator uncovers $900k client refund fraud by regional tax agent
By Catherine James
The NSW accountant siphoned hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients via false ATO lodgements over three years.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-15/regulator-shuts-down-coolah-firm-tax-refund-theft/106007194
#ScamsandFraud #Tax #FinancialServices #BusinessandIndustryRegulation #CatherineJames
Sydney 'fortune teller' allegedly conned Vietnamese community out of $70m
By Shannon Corvo
The 53-year-old told clients a "billionaire" was in their future, allegedly persuading them to take out financial loans before keeping a share for herself.
And I can confirm these Facebook ad #scams from my own personal experience -- see here:
https://methodius.blogspot.com/2025/11/beware-of-scam-ads-on-facebook-and.html
#ScamAlert #ScamsAndFraud
The scamming hotspot where bombing a business barely dents operations
By Karishma Vyas
Myanmar junta bombing of a scam centre is little more than "political theatre" to appease the international community, an expert says.
#ScamsandFraud #Crime #InternationalLaw #MilitaryOccupation #KarishmaVyas
'Disgusted' WA premier slams scammers over deepfake AI video
By Briana Shepherd
WA's consumer watchdog says scams are getting more sophisticated and cheaper to make, as an AI video of state premier Roger Cook sparks new concerns.
#ConsumerProtection #ScamsandFraud #SocialMedia #StateandTerritoryGovernment #Crime #BrianaShepherd
'Sophisticated' deepfake scam using WA premier's likeness sparks warning
By Briana Shepherd
WA's consumer watchdog says scams are getting more sophisticated and cheaper to make, as an AI video of state premier Roger Cook sparks new concerns.
#ConsumerProtection #ScamsandFraud #SocialMedia #StateandTerritoryGovernment #Crime #BrianaShepherd
Meta forecast $24b revenue from scam ads, internal documents show
Users of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are exposed to fraudulent e-commerce and investment schemes, illegal online casinos, and the sale of banned medical products.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-07/meta-making-billions-from-scam-ads/105983808
The signs to look out for as residents warned about 'disaster chasers'
By Claudia Williams
After being smashed by giant hail, south-east Queensland residents are being warned to be aware.
A shocking alarm on her computer sent Dorothy into crypto scam hell
By Rhiana Whitson
A pensioner tells her nightmarish story as the financial crimes regulator takes action against a second Australian player in the booming crypto ATM business linked to lucrative scams and money laundering.
#ScamsandFraud #Cryptocurrency #Banking #MoneyLaundering #CyberCrime #ConsumerProtection #RhianaWhitson
Two arrested over fake money allegedly found at SA home
South Australian police charge two people with deception after they allegedly found more than 30 counterfeit notes — as well as an imitation firearm and a machete — at a home on Yorke Peninsula.
Phishing scammer nearly tricked tourist seeking Booking.com refund
By Brianna Melville
Within minutes of requesting a refund for an unsavoury holiday stay, a Booking.com customer was hoodwinked into providing her bank details to a scam artist.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-27/booking-com-scam/105923014
Troy Bell abused position of 'authority and trust' to join list of former jailed MPs
By Jordanna Schriever
Hard-working and charismatic former politician Troy Bell was so well liked, he was twice re-elected while awaiting trial for stealing public money. Now, he joins a short list of former SA politicians who have served time for crime.
#Crime #Courts #ScamsandFraud #StateandTerritoryGovernment #Sentencing #JordannaSchriever
