Australians have lost millions to phishing scams. This man teaches criminals how to do it | 7.30

Summary

The video script details the alarming rise of online tax fraud in Australia, with over 15,000 victims and losses exceeding half a billion dollars. It features Michaela Hul, a new mother who fell for a phishing scam, leading to scammers opening a bank account in her name and stealing funds. The narrative also uncovers a global phishing network, 'Bullet Prof Link,' operated by a Malaysian businessman, Adrien Bin Katong, who sold fake login pages and offered tutorials to scammers. Despite his arrest, Katong has yet to be charged, and the phishing activities continue, highlighting the urgent need for cyber security and justice for victims.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Michaela, a new mother from Germany, became a victim of online tax fraud in Australia, highlighting the global reach of such scams.
• 📲 She received a deceptive text message that appeared to be from the government, prompting her to log into a fake website.
• 🚨 After realizing the website was fraudulent, Michaela changed her password and reported the incident but received no response from the authorities.
• 💸 Scammers, using her stolen credentials, managed to fraudulently obtain a tax refund of $16,000 that Michaela was not entitled to.
• 🔢 The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has seen over 15,000 victims of online tax fraud, with losses amounting to half a billion dollars.
• 🐟 The script reveals the existence of a global phishing network where stolen credentials and fake web pages are traded.
• 👤 Gabor Sari, a cybersecurity expert, discovered a server hosting hundreds of fake login pages, leading to the uncovering of a large-scale phishing operation.
• 🔍 Gabor's investigation led to the identification of a key facilitator of these scams, a Malaysian businessman operating under the name 'Bullet Prof Link'.
• 🏢 This businessman offered a range of phishing services, including fake login pages and tutorials, catering to a wide range of cybercriminals.
• 💼 Beex Kned, a cyber investigator, was contracted by the Australian government to trace the cyber attack, leading to the identification of the same Malaysian suspect.
• 📉 Despite the businessman's arrest, he has not been charged, and his phishing activities continue, indicating the challenges in combating cybercrime.

Q & A

What was the significant event in Michaela's life during her first year in Australia?

Michaela became a mom and had a newborn during her first year in Australia.

What prompted Michaela to realize she had fallen for a scam?

An unusual Red Alert flashed across the screen after she clicked on a text message reminding her to lodge a tax return.

What was the fraudulent action taken by scammers in Michaela's case?

Scammers opened a bank account in Michaela's name and stole funds from the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

How much money did the ATO lose due to online tax fraud over the past couple of years?

The ATO lost a staggering half a billion dollars due to online tax fraud.

What was the name of the website that Gabor Sari discovered was linked to a global phishing network?

The website was called Bullet Prof Link.

What services did Bullet Prof Link offer to cyber criminals?

Bullet Prof Link offered fake login pages for various services like myGov, Dropbox, or Microsoft, and even provided phishing tutorials for beginners.

Who was the key facilitator of the phishing scams that Gabor Sari helped to uncover?

The key facilitator was a Malaysian businessman named Adrien Bin Katong.

What was the outcome of the investigation led by Beex Kned into the phishing attack on an Australian government agency?

Beex Kned identified Adrien Bin Katong as the suspect behind the phishing attack and shared the information with the Malaysian police and the FBI.

What was the status of Adrien Bin Katong after his arrest in relation to the phishing network?

Eight months after his arrest, Adrien Bin Katong had still not been charged, and his phishing activity continued through his Telegram page.

What was the role of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in the investigation of the phishing network?

The AFP worked with Beex Kned, received the dossier on the phishing network, and shared the information with the Malaysian police.