A 36-year-old Tomakin man appeared befor Batemans Bay Local Court on 15 September 2025 over an alleged phishing scam that targeted customers of a major telecommunications provider.
AFP Detective Inspector Steven Wiggins said authorities were working closely with industry and government partners to counter increasingly sophisticated cybercrime.
“ScamWatch data shows more than 108,000 reports of scams in the first six months of 2025, with losses estimated at over $174 million,” he said.
“Scams don’t discriminate, which is why building a scam-aware community is so important. Every report helps us track patterns and protect others.”
Police allege that in early August the man sent fraudulent text messages claiming mobile services would be restricted due to missed payments.
The messages allegedly contained links to a malicious website designed to harvest personal and banking information.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched an investigation on 20 August after receiving a report from the provider that some of its customers had been subjected to cyber attacks.
On 9 September, officers executed a search warrant at a Tomakin home, arresting the man and seizing computers, laptops, mobile phones and SIM cards. Several mobile devices were allegedly found hidden in an in-ground drainage pipe.
A forensic analysis of one laptop allegedly uncovered a large cache of personal information, including usernames, passwords and login details for multiple websites and applications. Police are working to trace the source of the data and will contact potential victims of fraud or identity theft.
The man has been charged with:
- Producing, supplying or obtaining data with intent to commit a computer offence, carrying a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment.
- Dishonestly obtaining or dealing in personal financial information, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
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