Scammers Exploit Australia’s Cybercrime Portal to Impersonate Police and Steal Crypto, AFP Warns

Australian Authorities have issued an urgent warning after uncovering a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam in which criminals exploit the country's official cybercrime reporting system to impersonate police officers. Fraudsters are using stolen personal information to file fictitious complaints on the government's ReportCyber portal, then contacting victims under the guise of investigators working on the alleged case, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a public alert. The AFP said several Australians have already been targeted, with criminals attempting to trick victims into moving funds from their cryptocurrency wallets after claiming their assets are at risk.

Authorities Warn of Growing Misuse of ReportCyber in Sophisticated Crypto Theft Scheme

Scammers obtain a valid ReportCyber reference number by submitting a fraudulent report using a victim's email address or phone number, according to the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre. This number is then used to support fraudulent calls, during which criminals claim that the victim's crypto wallet has been compromised. Investigators have identified multiple instances in which callers misrepresented themselves as AFP officers and steered victims to another scammer who was posing as an official from a cryptocurrency platform. The deception was reinforced by the identical reference numbers used by both callers. 

Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said the scam is highly convincing due to the use of genuine-looking complaint numbers and accurate personal information. Legitimate law enforcement will never ask for access to cryptocurrency wallets, seed phrases, remote devices, or account transfers, she emphasised.

“These cybercriminals step through a process to verify the target's personal information, which may match common expectations [...] What's more, because they move quickly from making the report to calling the target, they can create a sense of urgency,” she said in the AFP's official statement. 

Australia's national cyber security authority has also issued an advisory warning that the abuse of ReportCyber undermines public confidence in the government's primary cybercrime reporting tool. Authorities advised the public to immediately end any unexpected calls referring to a ReportCyber complaint they did not file and to confirm any contact by calling the 1300 CYBER1 hotline or Cyber.gov.au. 
The advisory notes that scammers continue to evolve their techniques, using increasingly professional scripts, spoofed numbers, and fake follow-up emails. 

According to cybersecurity experts, the incident is part of a larger global trend wherein digital assets are stolen through the use of fictitious case-reference numbers and law enforcement impersonation. Authorities in Australia are now working with crypto exchanges, telecommunications providers, and financial institutions to strengthen fraud detection systems. 

The AFP said public awareness remains one of the strongest defences, urging Australians to be cautious of unsolicited calls linked to alleged cybercrime reports or requests involving crypto wallets.