‘Hey babe’: AFP warns of romance scams preying on the lonely, as Aussie victims revealed
Australians “who thought they had found love” have been unwittingly committing crimes after being enlisted by criminals pretending to love them, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) reports. Fresh warnings now detail how the romance scams work and how a “victim’s heartstrings” can get them tied up in illegal activities from drug sales to firearms trading. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Mother loses $3000 in ‘Hi Mum’ text scam Watch the latest news and stream for free on 7plus >> The AFP is now cracking down on a wave of money mule scams tricking Australians to “unwittingly commit money laundering offences”. “Fifteen Australians, who thought they had found love, were identified as being money mules under a national anti-money laundering campaign,” the AFP said. The scam is a way for criminals to hide their tracks, and move money offshore using legitimate Australian bank accounts. What makes this romance scam unique is that the victims are not usually left out of pocket. AFP Commander Cybe...