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Key Points
- More than 5,000 Australians have been alerted to a romance scam operation that may have targeted them.
- Australians lost more than $23.5 million to romance scams in 2024, according to Scamwatch.
- There are a number of warning signs someone you’ve met online could be trying to scam you.
Evidence from the raid was shared with international law enforcement to identify victims, including those unaware they were targeted.
In November 2024, Philippine authorities uncovered a scam operation in central Manila, seizing over 300 computer towers, 1,000 mobile phones, and thousands of SIM cards. Source: Supplied / Australian Federal Police
Graeme Marshall, a commander with AFP’s cybercrime operations, said when it comes to romance scams, his message to the public was simple: “protect your heart and your wallet.”
Romance and dating scams were responsible for more than $23.5 million lost in 2024, according to the government’s Scamwatch service. The median amount lost to romance scams was around $1,600.
How did the scam work?
Most of the victims targeted were men over the age of 35. The fraudsters posed as either a Filipino woman working in Australia or a resident in the Philippines.
“We encourage people to always independently verify any investment opportunity via trusted sources such as an Australian registered financial adviser.”
Here’s what you can do if you’ve been scammed
If you’ve been scammed, here are some steps you can take to reduce the damage and prevent further losses.
- Act fast to prevent further losses: Contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam. Ask them to stop any transactions.
- Get help to recover: If you’re not happy with how your bank has responded to your situation, you can complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
- Warn others and report the scam: Once you have secured your details, you can warn others by reporting the scam to Scamwatch.
- Watch out for follow-up scams: If scammers have stolen money from you, they often return for more. Unfortunately, one in three victims of fraud has been scammed more than once, according to Scamwatch. Also, look out for new scams — especially someone offering to help you get your money back.
- Get support: Being scammed is a horrible experience, and it can happen to anyone. If you need someone to talk to, contact family and friends or speak to a financial counsellor about debt-related issues.
