AFP Teams Up with Philippines to Tackle Offshore Scammers

Ever wondered what the inside of a cyber scam operation looks like? Well, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is giving people a literal look inside one, after their cybercrime experts joined forces with Philippine law enforcement in a former scam centre—now repurposed as a training hub to take down cyber criminals.

Scams are big business for criminals, and unfortunately, Australians are a prime target. Just this year, Scamwatch received nearly 250,000 reports of scams, costing people over $318 million.

These offshore scam hubs—known as "boiler rooms"—are set up by organised crime syndicates, recruiting hundreds of people to trick and defraud victims worldwide. But from the outside, they look just like any regular office building.

The Fight Against Scam Centres

The AFP International Network has officers stationed across Asia, including in the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. They work closely with local authorities to track down, dismantle, and prosecute those running these scam centres.

Now, two AFP cybercrime experts are in the Philippines, helping run an intensive five-day training program for cybercrime units within the country's law enforcement. This first-of-its-kind workshop was held in a former scam centre, which has now been converted into government offices.

And it’s not just about law enforcement—the centre’s old kitchen has even been transformed into a community food program, serving up to 700 meals a day to homeless and underprivileged children. Talk about turning something bad into something good!

Taking Down the Scammers

Since August 2024, AFP’s Operation Firestorm has helped shut down three scam centres in Manila, leading to hundreds of arrests and the seizure of thousands of electronic devices—from mobile phones and SIM cards to computers.

In one case, authorities identified over 5000 Australian phone numbers linked to scam messages found on seized devices. Working with the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC), the AFP sent out text and email warnings to potential targets, alerting them to the risk of romance and cryptocurrency scams.

‘Stopping Scams at Their Roots’

AFP Cybercrime Operations Commander Graeme Marshall put it simply:"To stop scams at their roots, we must target and disrupt scam centre boiler rooms fuelling their growth and outreach. Our priority is to protect Australians and their savings from being defrauded—no matter where these scammers are in the world."

And the Philippines’ Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) agrees, with Undersecretary Gilberto DC Cruz saying the AFP’s training has "empowered" local law enforcement to fight cyber fraud more effectively.

The fight against online scams isn’t slowing down, and with global cooperation, authorities are hoping to shut down more of these criminal operations before they cause even more damage.