Psychic Scams Can Constitute the Criminal Offence of Fraud
ScamWatch, a division of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), has announced that ‘psychic scams’ are on the rise, with a reported $555,240 extorted from Australians in 2022. Individuals purporting to be psychics or clairvoyants will often prey on...
The Offence of Fraud: Companies Generate Billions Without Criminal Consequences
This is the first in a series of 3 articles on the criminal offence of fraud. This article will focus on the history of fraud, and outline the conduct of those who engaged in the offence in what is arguably the...
Sentencing Hearing in Limbo as Government Assistance Denied to Fraud Offender
The sentencing hearing for the mastermind behind a $100 million in tax fraud scheme is in limbo until the issue of who will pay his estimated $50,000 in legal fees is settled. Others involved in the Plutus Payroll scheme –...
White-Collar Crime: Definition, Categories, Evolution and Notable Cases
This article will endeavour to define what is regarded as white collar crime and explore a portion of the multitude of white-collar crimes through the ages, from the litany of the broad variety of crimes which form this type offending....
Woman Whose False Sexual Assault Allegations Destroyed Lives Sent to Prison
A 22-year old woman has been sentenced to eight and a half years after destroying the lives of three men, their families and their livelihoods, and sparking a wave of racially motivated hate crimes after fabricating claims the men sexually...
Hillsong Church Accused of Financial Crimes
The beleaguered Hillsong Church is under fire again, this time facing allegations of misusing funds in conduct that has the potential to amount to obtaining a benefit by deception - which is a type of fraud, as well as money...
NSW Police Falsely Claimed that Violet Coco Blocked an Ambulance
A good cross-section of NSW civil society was appalled when Violet Coco was sentenced to 15 months prison time last December, in relation to her taking part in a Fireproof Australia action that blocked one lane - just one lane - of...
Social Media Influencers Under Investigation for Fraud
Australia’s securities regulator, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, or ASIC, is investigating more than 100 ‘influential’ social media accounts over reports of misleading and false advertising that has cost those who buy in millions, and could amount to the...
The “Hi Mum” Scam and the Offence of Fraud
A 21-year-old Victorian man has been charged with five counts of obtaining property by deception for fraudulent transactions linked to the increasing popular “Hi Mum” scam. But what is the “Hi Mum” scam? How does it fit into the legal...
Police Claim to Have Identified Medibank Cyber-Criminals
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) claims to have identified the group responsible for the Medibank cyber-attack and subsequent data leaks to the dark web, and is promising the suspects will face the full force of the law. But this is cold...
