From the outside these buildings look like unassuming corporate offices, operating as legitimate call centres, which are a regular sight across Asia.
Take a step inside, though, and the reality is very different.
Across the floors, hundreds of scammers acting in full role-play mode adopt personas as devoted girlfriends or boyfriends, crypto enthusiasts and investment gurus, working to bait and defraud victims online from around the globe.
Welcome to the world of the offshore scam centre, also referred to as a boiler room.
These hives of activity are facilitated by serious organised criminal networks, which recruit scammers to target and defraud victims through romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.
In recent years, the prevalence and economic impact of scams have devastated Australian victims with significant financial losses. In 2024, Scamwatch received 249,448 scam reports totalling more than $318 million.
The AFP International Network has liaison officers based throughout Asia, including the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, who work with law enforcement agencies to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute those involved in scam centres, and deliver training throughout the region.
To combat the growing threat targeting Australian victims, two AFP cybercrime experts have also now deployed to support AFP Philippines to deliver critical cybercrime training to law enforcement partners in emerging cybercrime trends and technologies used by criminals, including those used to facilitate scams in real-life.
Participants in the first five-day intensive workshop included members from the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC), National Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Division and Special Taskforce, and the Philippines National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group.
It was hosted by the PAOCC and held in a former scam hub, recently repurposed into government offices. The commercial scam hub kitchen also has been transformed and used by the 'Walang Gutom' food stamp program, an initiative launched by the First Lady of the Philippines and the Philippine Social Welfare and Development Department, that serves up to 700 meals a day to homeless and underprivileged children.
The training was facilitated under AFP Operation Firestorm and further consolidates the partnerships established with Philippine law enforcement. The partnerships have already delivered disruptive action against scam centres operating in Manila and is now amplifying this interagency collaboration by providing training to law enforcement partners.
Operation Firestorm is a global initiative launched by the AFP to enable collaboration with partner agencies to disrupt offshore scam centres targeting Australian victims.
Since its launch in August 2024, Operation Firestorm has supported the disruption of three scam centres in Manila.
Authorities have arrested hundreds of alleged offenders and seized and extracted evidence from thousands of electronic devices such as mobile phones, SIM cards, and computers.
The AFP was able to identify more than 5000 Australian mobile users in one case linked to end-to-end encryption messages located on the seized devices and in partnership with Australian National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC), sent text messages and emails to warn they could be potential targets of a deceptive romance scam and cryptocurrency scam.
AFP Commander of Cybercrime Operations Graeme Marshall said the AFP would continue to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to tackling scam centres by empowering law enforcement in Asia to identify and shut them down.
"This course not only enhances the investigative capabilities of Philippine law enforcement, but it also fosters collaboration and networking between agencies, strengthening the broader international response to cybercrime," Commander Marshall said.
"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 by scammers wherever they may be in the world.
"The AFP will continue to work alongside Philippine law enforcement as well as law enforcement agencies across Southeast Asia in the shared fight against online fraud and scams, further demonstrating the value of international cooperation in addressing this ever-evolving threat."
PAOCC Undersecretary Gilberto DC Cruz added, "As cyber threats rapidly evolve, law enforcement must stay ahead with the right skills and expertise.
"This training, provided by the Australian Federal Police, has empowered our law enforcers and government officers with the essential tools to combat cybercrime effectively, reinforcing our united fight against digital threats."
About the JPC3:
The JPC3 brings together Australian law enforcement and key industry and international partners to fight cybercrime and prevent harm and financial loss to the Australian community.
We are committed to equipping all Australians with the knowledge and resources to protect themselves against cybercrime.
Watch our cybercrime prevention videos and protect yourself from being a victim of cybercrime.
If there is an immediate threat to life or risk of harm, call 000.
If you are a victim of cybercrime, report it to police using Report Cyber.
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