A 21-year-old Pakistan national living in New South Wales appeared in the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on 28 November 2024 after being charged with allegedly orchestrating a complex scam that defrauded over 100 Australians.
The man allegedly exploited personal financial details to acquire hundreds of high-end mobile devices, worth over $1 million.
AFP Commander Investigations Kate Ferry commended the collaboration between law enforcement and industry partners.
“This arrest highlights the critical role of partnerships in disrupting sophisticated scams and protecting Australians,” she said, urging the public to remain vigilant against unexpected calls or messages.
The arrest follows a months-long investigation led by the AFP’s Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) in collaboration with telecommunications providers Optus and TPG Telecom.
Optus Vice President Government and Regulatory Andrew Sheridan praised the operation, saying,
“This serves as a warning to fraudsters targeting Australian consumers.”
ScamWatch reports phone scams have cost Australians $71 million in 2024 alone, with almost 34,000 incidents reported.
TPG Telecom’s Customer Security Manager Amelia Limbrick added,
“This joint effort demonstrates the importance of collaboration to safeguard Australians from fraudulent activities.”
The investigation began in March 2023 after Optus and TPG flagged suspicious activity. Authorities allege the accused contacted victims, posing as a telecommunications representative, claiming their mobile service required maintenance or offering discounts on upgrades. Victims were reportedly sent a one-time PIN for authorisation, which was intercepted and used to order devices on their accounts.
According to police, the devices were shipped to alternate addresses before being sent overseas for resale. When victims did not receive the promised upgrades, they alerted their service providers, triggering the investigation.
A search of the suspect’s home in Auburn, western Sydney, yesterday (27 November 2024) uncovered more than $1 million in cash, over 500 SIM cards, and 21 electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops containing credit card and financial documents.
The man faces two charges:
- Dishonestly obtaining or dealing in financial information, with a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
- Dealing with proceeds of crime exceeding $1 million, carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years.
The accused remains in custody and is expected to face serious penalties if convicted.
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon and support honest and fearless journalism. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/TheAusToday
