Australian police: Criminals are abusing the national cybercrime platform to steal funds from cryptocurrency wallets

According to Decrypt, the Australian Federal Police have warned that scammers are exploiting the Australian national cybercrime reporting system ReportCyber by submitting false reports using stolen personal information, and then impersonating Australian Federal Police officers to call victims and steal their digital assets.

The scam is highly deceptive, as criminals verify information in a plausible manner and act quickly to create a sense of urgency. They illegally obtain email addresses, phone numbers, and other information, using the system's rules that allow third parties to report on behalf of others to gain trust. Some victims received calls from "police" informing them that they were involved in a cryptocurrency data breach, and were given what appeared to be an official reference number. After seeing a report that matched the one submitted by the scammers, they almost fell for it.

Subsequently, a second caller impersonated a platform, using the same reference number to induce a transfer. Fortunately, the victim realized in time and hung up the phone. Police stated that in similar cases, scammers often spoof numbers and remind the public to remain vigilant, recognize scams, and protect their assets.