Australia Warns Citizens About Crypto Scams Using Fake Police Calls

Highlights:

• Australian police warn that crypto scams are rising, using fake reports and stolen details.
• Scammers pretend as officers and pressure victims with false calls and reference numbers.
• Authorities stress that real police never request crypto accounts, wallet seed phrases, or bank details.

Cryptocurrency scams in Australia are getting worse, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said Thursday. Scammers are using stolen personal information to make fake reports on ReportCyber, the government’s cybercrime website. This makes the scam look real to victims. The scammers then call people, pretending to be police officers. They check personal details and act fast to pressure victims, AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said. Police said the fake reports use stolen emails and phone numbers, according to the Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre.

🚨 SCAM ALERT: Criminals in Australia are faking police identities and using ReportCyber as a cover to steal people’s crypto.

DON’T FALL FOR IT. pic.twitter.com/ENIHAP6qpH

— Mr. WHALE (@MrWhaleHQ) November 13, 2025

AFP Warns How Scams Trick Victims with Fake Calls

The police shared how one crypto scam worked. A person got a call from someone pretending to be an AFP officer. The caller said the person’s name was part of a crypto data breach and gave them a ReportCyber reference number. When the victim checked and saw the same number in a report, it all looked real. 

Later, a second caller pretended to be from a crypto platform. Using the same reference number, they tried to get the victim to send money to a fake wallet. Luckily, the victim felt something was wrong and hung up before losing any money. The police said these scams often use fake phone numbers that look like real AFP lines, making them seem convincing.

“These cybercriminals step through a process to verify the target’s personal information which may match common expectations,” Andersson said. “What’s more, because they move quickly from making the report to calling the target, they can create a sense of urgency.”

Authorities said real police will never ask for access to crypto accounts, wallet seed phrases, or bank details. Andersson said if someone calls about a ReportCyber report you didn’t make, hang up and call 1300 CYBER1. She added that real reports help police catch criminals and stop others from being targeted.

Andersson noted:

“Also bear in mind legitimate law enforcement officials will never request access to your cryptocurrency accounts, wallets, bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallet seed phrases, or any personal information relating to your financial accounts.”

Australia Cracks Down on Crypto Scams as Millions Lost

Australia has been working harder to fight online financial crimes. In late October, authorities unlocked a coded cryptocurrency wallet holding 9 million Australian dollars ($5.9 million), thought to come from criminals. In August, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said it had shut down about 3,015 crypto scam websites in two years. This was part of a total of 14,000 fake sites removed. 

In July, investigations in Tasmania showed that the top 15 users of crypto ATMs were all scam victims. Together, they lost $1.6 million. This shows that both new and experienced crypto users can be at risk. The AFP’s warnings and public advisories aim to prevent Australians from falling for increasingly clever digital schemes.

Crypto ATM scams in Australia are rising sharply, with Tasmania losing AUD 2.5 million to fraud—AUD 592,000 through crypto ATMs alone. Scammers use high-pressure tactics, coercing victims into depositing cash via ATMs after traditional banks raise alarms. In response, AUSTRAC has… pic.twitter.com/XmXhQ3bFXP

— Fama Crypto (@Famacrypt) July 11, 2025