Today, the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) contacted more than 10,000 Australians via email. Their contact details were identified during a United Kingdom police investigation into organised crime targeting cryptocurrency exchange and hardware wallet users in multiple countries.
While arrests have been made, affected Australians may remain at risk of further scam attempts because their personal information may still be circulating among criminal networks. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) provided these contact details to the NASC so we could notify affected Australians and remind them to protect themselves from potential scam attempts.
The NASC has also received reports recently about scammers impersonating both the NASC and the AFP. These scammers invite people to assist with investigations and then attempt to steal money and sensitive information. If you receive a message claiming to be from the National Anti-Scam Centre, remember to STOP. CHECK. PROTECT.
- Stop – Always take a moment before giving money or personal information to anyone.
- Check – Make sure you know who you're really dealing with. Contact the organisation using contact details you source independently from its official website or app.
- Protect – If you think you've been scammed, contact your bank immediately and report the matter to cyber.gov.au, and Scamwatch.
Remember – we will never request money or sensitive information from you, or send you a text message with links, attachments or a number to call.