Australian Federal Police Prevents $83 Million in Global Cybercrime Losses Since 2020

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has announced achievements in its ongoing operations against cybercrime, revealing that its efforts, in collaboration with industry partners, have prevented approximately $83 million from being lost to scammers and criminal syndicates worldwide since 2020.

The AFP disclosed that more than 100 cybercrime investigations are currently active as internationally organised cybercrime groups continue to target Australia's economy and way of life through sophisticated crimes exploiting technology.  

In 2024, the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) was at the forefront of national coordination efforts with law enforcement agencies, tackling high-harm and high-threat cybercrime cases. The AFP played a pivotal role in the global takedown of LabHost, a phishing-as-a-service platform. Five individuals were arrested in Australia for their involvement in the platform, which was used to steal personal credentials from victims worldwide, including over 94,000 Australians.

The AFP also targeted organised crime groups operating scam centres in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe in 2024. Supported by AFP cybercrime liaison officers in Pretoria, London, The Hague, Belgrade, and Washington, the operation is working to identify Australian victims of a scam centre dismantled in October. This operation led to the arrest of over 250 suspected cybercriminals in the Philippines.

In addition, the AFP participated in a National Day of Action in 2024, joining forces with policing agencies across Australia to disrupt cybercriminals allegedly using SIM boxes to send thousands of scam text messages to the Australian community. Coordinated by the AFP-led JPC3, the operation identified six alleged offenders and resulted in the seizure of 42 SIM boxes and thousands of SIM cards.

“With over 100 active AFP investigations, the community can rest assure our teams will be relentless in 2025 to impact organised cybercrime syndicates wherever they are, including bringing offenders before the courts, either here or overseas,” said AFP Assistant Commissioner Richard Chin.