Fake AFP Officer Calls: Spoofed Numbers and Stolen IDs

The number on the screen belonged to a real government agency. The voice said your identity had been stolen and you could be arrested. Neither the number nor the voice was real.

By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 11, 2026

A caller who claims to be from the police is persuasive because most people want to cooperate with police. Add a government number on the screen and a story about stolen identity, and the pressure becomes very hard to resist. This Australian case shows how a syndicate used those elements together.

What happened

According to the AFP, which led Taskforce AVARUS, the syndicate phoned victims aged 50 to 90 posing as employees of public service agencies and as AFP officers. The call numbers were spoofed to show the numbers of real government agencies. The AFP says its investigation began in October 2021.

On March 1, 2024, the Downing Centre District Court sentenced a courier in the syndicate to 15 months' imprisonment, released immediately on a recognisance release order. He had pleaded guilty on April 18, 2023 to three charges, including dealing in proceeds of crime worth $1,000 or more and giving false information under the anti-money-laundering law. A man was convicted in 2023, and a warrant was issued for the alleged mastermind.

How it worked

Victims were told they were victims of identity theft and that multiple bank accounts had been opened in their names. They were warned they could be arrested for money laundering, or could settle the matter by giving identity information, funds and bank details to a "government employee."

Eleven victims were identified. Payment methods included in-store gift cards, and the AFP alleges those purchases gave the syndicate a $30,000 profit. The courier allegedly collected bank cards, identity information, such as Medicare and ID cards, and cash from victims.

What was exposed

Bank details, Medicare and ID cards, bank cards and cash were handed over after spoofed calls claimed the victim's identity had been stolen. The story that an identity had been stolen was itself the trick, and it led victims to hand over the documents that could then be used to steal one.

How it ended

The courier received a 15-month term and was released on a recognisance release order. A warrant is out for the alleged mastermind. The release does not say how much of the money was recovered or whether any victims were repaid.

A timeline of the case

The AFP's investigation began in October 2021. The courier pleaded guilty on April 18, 2023, was sentenced on March 1, 2024 and the AFP issued its release three days later. Another man was convicted in 2023, and a warrant was issued for the alleged mastermind.

It is a reminder that cases involving cross-border syndicates can take years to reach court, and that warrants do not always lead to arrests. Victims have to deal with the consequences long before any verdict.

Key facts at a glance

• Sentence: 15 months' imprisonment, released immediately on a recognisance release order
• Sentencing date: March 1, 2024, Downing Centre District Court
• Victims identified: 11, aged 50 to 90
• AFP's headline value: $153,000
• Method: spoofed government numbers, a stolen-identity story and a courier
• Investigation began: October 2021

Why this case matters

The story is built around fear of the law, and an official-looking number provides the proof. This is why a call display is not evidence. Caller ID can be spoofed, and no real agency asks for cards, IDs or gift cards.

Taking cards and ID documents in person also creates a longer-term risk than a one-off payment. Once identity documents are in the wrong hands, victims may need to replace them and watch their records for months.

What you can do

Warning signs to remember

Three details recur across this kind of scam: the call claims authority, it describes a danger that only you can fix and it asks you to move something physical or financial immediately. When all three appear, the call is a scam regardless of the number shown on the screen.

What the release does not say

The release does not say how the syndicate selected its targets. For an Australian case where a real bank number was also cloned, see the HSBC penalty over impersonation scams.

To turn the lesson into action, our guides explain how scammers find your phone number and email, what an exposed phone number means and how to prevent identity theft. You can also try our free phone number exposure check.