A Pakistani national residing in New South Wales, Australia, has been charged with illegally obtaining the personal financial details of over 100 Australians to fraudulently acquire hundreds of high-end mobile services.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, November 27, following an investigation led by the AFP's Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) in collaboration with Australian law enforcement and telecommunications providers Optus and TPG Telecom.
During a search of his Auburn residence in western Sydney, AFP investigators reportedly seized over $1 million in cash, more than 500 SIM cards, 21 electronic devices, and various financial documents, including credit cards.
Prosecutors allege that the suspect impersonated a telecommunications service representative, contacting victims with offers to upgrade their mobile devices. Victims were sent a one-time PIN for authorization, which the suspect is accused of intercepting to complete the fraudulent transactions.
The investigation linked the man to over 100 victims across Australia, exposing the extent of the scam. He is scheduled to appear in the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court.
