Canberra gambler avoids jail for stealing over $70,000 from Master Builders Association while employed by organisation – 13 August 2024
A man who stole over $70,000 from the Master Builders Association while working as its event organiser has been convicted of fraud in the ACT Supreme Court. The court heard Luke Lowes did not intend to keep the ticket funds funnelled into his accounts, but hoped to have a gambling win large enough to pay it back.
Australian retailers hit by surge in fraud amid cost crisis – 14 August 2024
A significant rise in returns fraud is being reported, with consumers increasingly exploiting retailers’ return policies. A recent report by Loop, a return management platform, indicates that 60% of Australian retailers have encountered returns fraud or policy abuse in the past 12 months. This figure is somewhat lower compared to the global rate, which stands at 99%.
https://securitybrief.com.au/story/australian-retailers-hit-by-surge-in-fraud-amid-cost-crisis
Broken dreams – More than 20 investors allege they have lost their life savings to Mr Amit Miglani – 14 August 2024
More than 20 investors allege they have lost their life savings to Mr Amit Miglani and those in his orbit, claiming the investment opportunities offered by his ex-wife and staff members were nothing but a scam. The ABC understands the allegations are now under investigation by (ASIC), and have also been passed onto Consumer Affairs Victoria, which is expected to formally refer the allegations to Victoria Police.
CBA bribery scheme involved ‘corruption at highest levels’ – 14 August 2024
The Crown alleged the principal shareholder of ServiceMesh, Eric Pulier, paid more than $US2 million to Waldron and an IT executive manager at CBA in 2014 as a reward for helping ServiceMesh strike two software deals with the bank, in 2013 and 2014. Pulier has denied wrongdoing.
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Rolex, Cartier jewellery, Tesla among goods seized after alleged $10 million fraud – 15 August 2024
Two people have been charged and luxury items have been seized after an investigation into an alleged $10 million fraud plot in Sydney. Investigators allege that a criminal syndicate was using the allegedly stolen personal information of more than 33 people to apply for loans for luxury cars that did not exist.
Bank impersonation scam gets around two-factor authentication process – 15 August 2024
Danielle Maddock says she thought her experience as a police officer would have given her an edge at picking up a scammer. The key components of bank impersonation scams is offering snippets of information about the customer to build trust, fused with a sense of urgency to make them less likely to question the scammer wanting their their two-factor authentication codes.
ACCC finds half of crypto ads on Facebook are scams or violate Meta’s policies – 15 August 2024
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission began court proceedings against Meta in 2022 over celebrity scam ads, alleging the company had engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct in publishing the ads.
Operation Blot: Fraud Offences, Warwick – 16 August 2024
A 26-year-old Warwick man has been charged with numerous fraud offences after police shut down what they allege is a “cash for demerit points” scheme involving hundreds of falsely nominated tickets. Police will allege the man advertised on social media that he would take fines and demerit points for people in exchange for money. He would then allegedly sign the ticket over to an unsuspecting third party who was the victim of identity theft.
https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/news/2024/08/16/operation-blot-fraud-offences-warwick/
Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli paid $200,000 settling claims from liquidators over Southern Edge Training – 16 August 2024
Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli paid $200,000 in settling claims from liquidators who alleged a training company he was a director of, may have been trading while insolvent. The department did not provide settlement details, but the ABC obtained company accounts – filed with the corporate regulator – which list three “receipts from” David Crisafulli in the “settlement of other liquidators’ actions”.
Foreign diplomat ordered to pay more than $500,000 to a former domestic worker in wage exploitation case – 16 August 2024
Ms Danaratna was employed as a domestic worker in the home of the then-deputy high commissioner of Sri Lanka, Himalee Subhashini de Silya Arunatilaka, between 2015 and 2018. Over the course of those three years, she was only paid $11,212 which equates to 65 cents an hour. Her employment was in breach of Australian employment laws under the Fair Work. In addition to $374, 000 in unpaid wages, the court ordered Ms Arunatilaka to pay more than $169,000 in interest, bringing the total owing to more than $543,000.
