Thai police arrest 13 in $A1.9m scam targeting Aussies
"The group amassed at least 1.9 million in (Australian dollars) from Australian victims in just the short time it had been operating. Money that we say was stolen from hard-working Australians and not invested as promised," she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
13 minutes ago
- Perth Now
'Many millions' in unclaimed super for Pacific workers
Pacific workers are being urged to chase up "many millions" in lost superannuation from their stints in Australia, with that problem also leading to calls for reform. Difficulties navigating Australia's complex tax system, particularly for foreigners, mean Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) workers often leave their hard-earned super languishing. During a nine-month stint in Australia at the guaranteed base wage levels, PALM workers typically accumulate around $3,800 in pre-tax superannuation. Like other guest workers, PALM workers can apply to access those funds once they've left the country, but most either do not - or can not. "PALM workers are collectively leaving many millions of dollars in superannuation unclaimed," Robert Whait, University of South Australia senior lecturer told AAP. The PALM scheme has expanded in recent years to average around 30,000 workers from 10 Pacific nations in Australia at any one time, doing jobs that employers cannot fill. Industries includes agriculture and food processing, but also aged care, hospitality, tourism, and even a pilot in early childhood education. Dr Whait manages the UniSA tax clinic, which offers advice "to help vulnerable Australians with their taxes", and on the foreign affairs department's suggestion, widened to take in PALM workers. "PALM workers have the same rights we do ... but the main issue is that under the current law, they can only access that superannuation when they leave Australia and their visa is canceled," he said. "Either they're not aware of it, or the process to put in the forms is difficult because of various barriers, so lots of money is left unclaimed which they could be taking home with them to use, directly with their families and helping out their lives." Barriers include the unavailability of key forms in languages other than English, the reliance on internet and computer access, and verification. PALM workers also get slugged with extra taxes that effectively claw back half of their earnings: the 15 per cent tax on contributions and a 35 per cent "departing Australia superannuation payment" tax. The messy situation has led Dr Whait, with Connie Vitale from Western Sydney University, to author a paper looking at policy reforms, especially given super primarily exists to fund the retirement of Australian workers. Options canvassed include adding super into their take-home pay (as occurs in New Zealand) or sending it to a super fund in the worker's home country, either as they earn, or when they head home. Dr Whait believes the latter options would better serve the primary of purpose of super - to assist workers in retirement - and allow Pacific super funds greater pools of funding to invest at home. "The money from PALM superannuation could be used to help infrastructure in their countries and help their communities, so that was probably the tipping point in in recommending that approach," he said.
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
Australian economy: Jim Chalmers National Press Club speech
However, after delivering two surpluses, Chalmers' latest budget revealed there will be a decade of deficits on the cards. And while weak productivity has plagued the country for at least the past decade, the Albanese government has failed to kickstart it in its first term. Chalmers has said the focus in Labor's second term would shift from managing inflation to boosting productivity. In August, the government will hold a productivity roundtable aimed at developing a new economic agenda including tax reform, deregulation and streamlined approvals of big projects. The roundtable is likely to run for three days with 20 to 25 attendees including senior ministers and representatives of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and Business Council of Australia. '[We have] an obligation to future generations to deliver a better standard of living than we enjoy today,' Chalmers will say in his speech. 'But some of the pressures on our economy and budget are intensifying rather than easing.' Analysis from KPMG shows younger Australians are in a tougher position than older generations, pulling back on recreational spending to cover costs such as mortgage repayments, rent and other essentials, while older Australians enjoy more travel and dining out. While the average millennial's annual mortgage repayments have fallen from $37,270 in 2013-14 to $33,680 in 2023-24, KPMG urban economist Terry Rawnsley said saving for a deposit and servicing a home loan had become increasingly challenging. Loading 'The fall in the average value of mortgage payments is not actually because mortgages are getting cheaper, but the result of the lower homeownership rates because younger people simply cannot afford to buy their own home any more,' he said. Meanwhile, Harry Murphy Cruise, Oxford Economics head of economic research and global trade, said Australia's growth had stalled, and the outlook had dimmed. 'The economy crawled in early 2025 ... and there's little evidence it will get out of its funk quickly,' he said. 'We now expect GDP growth of just 1.5 per cent in 2025, down from our 1.8 per cent forecast in May.' Chalmers will warn the global economy, which is growing at close to its weakest rate in nearly decades, faces 'perilous times' amid the increase in volatility worldwide. 'Global oil prices had slumped almost 20 per cent since their mid-January peak until last week, when they spiked more than 10 per cent when the Middle East flared again,' he will say. Israeli strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure have heightened fears that the conflict will severely disrupt Iran's oil production or lead it to close the Strait of Hormuz – a vital shipping route – driving up petrol prices in Australia and threatening a spike in inflation. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Thai police arrest 13 in $A1.9m scam targeting Aussies
Thai police say over a dozen foreigners, mostly Australians and British, were arrested for allegedly running an online investment fraud that had duped people out of at least $A1.9 million. Police on Monday raided a rental house in the province of Samut Prakan, neighbouring Bangkok, and arrested 13 people, said Jirabhob Bhuridej, chief of the police's Central Investigation Bureau, at a press conference in the Thai capital. Jirabhob said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) informed Thai authorities last year of a scam group led by an Australian and a British, and a joint investigation was launched. The alleged scammers operated out of Thailand to swindle money from victims in Australia and potentially other English-speaking countries through online advertisements and phone calls to invest in long-term bonds with a promise of high returns, Jirabhob said. Footage showed the men after being arrested in the rental house that was converted into an office. Papers of alleged scam scripts and workflow were taped to their partitioned desks. There were also whiteboards the police said were used for tracking their progress, and clocks on a wall showing time zones across Australia. Thai police said they staked out the house for several months and saw the men coming and going at times that coincided with working hours in Australia. They said they confiscated a number of phones, computers and other electronic devices allegedly used for the scam. AFP senior officer Kristie-Lee Cressy said at the Bangkok press conference that at least 14,000 Australians had fallen victim to this scam. "The group amassed at least 1.9 million in (Australian dollars) from Australian victims in just the short time it had been operating. Money that we say was stolen from hard-working Australians and not invested as promised," she said. "Shutting down this scam centre is a significant win for the communities of Thailand and Australia." Australian authorities believe the two leaders of the group had been running scams for many years and operating in several countries, including Indonesia, where they had escaped arrest before being found in Thailand, Jirabhob said. The group of men arrested in Thailand on Monday includes six British, five Australians, one Canadian and one South African, officials said. They said the suspects denied all wrongdoing, saying that they believed they were working legally for a legitimate investment company. Immigration officials said they entered Thailand with different kinds of visas, including for retirement and education. Jirabhob said they were initially charged with racketeering and working in Thailand without a permit. He said further investigation could lead to more serious charges, including fraud and involvement in a transnational organised crime. Australian police officer Cressy said Australia suffered an estimated damage of $A4.45 billion from online scams in the past four years. A UN report in April said transnational organised crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities. Thai police say over a dozen foreigners, mostly Australians and British, were arrested for allegedly running an online investment fraud that had duped people out of at least $A1.9 million. Police on Monday raided a rental house in the province of Samut Prakan, neighbouring Bangkok, and arrested 13 people, said Jirabhob Bhuridej, chief of the police's Central Investigation Bureau, at a press conference in the Thai capital. Jirabhob said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) informed Thai authorities last year of a scam group led by an Australian and a British, and a joint investigation was launched. The alleged scammers operated out of Thailand to swindle money from victims in Australia and potentially other English-speaking countries through online advertisements and phone calls to invest in long-term bonds with a promise of high returns, Jirabhob said. Footage showed the men after being arrested in the rental house that was converted into an office. Papers of alleged scam scripts and workflow were taped to their partitioned desks. There were also whiteboards the police said were used for tracking their progress, and clocks on a wall showing time zones across Australia. Thai police said they staked out the house for several months and saw the men coming and going at times that coincided with working hours in Australia. They said they confiscated a number of phones, computers and other electronic devices allegedly used for the scam. AFP senior officer Kristie-Lee Cressy said at the Bangkok press conference that at least 14,000 Australians had fallen victim to this scam. "The group amassed at least 1.9 million in (Australian dollars) from Australian victims in just the short time it had been operating. Money that we say was stolen from hard-working Australians and not invested as promised," she said. "Shutting down this scam centre is a significant win for the communities of Thailand and Australia." Australian authorities believe the two leaders of the group had been running scams for many years and operating in several countries, including Indonesia, where they had escaped arrest before being found in Thailand, Jirabhob said. The group of men arrested in Thailand on Monday includes six British, five Australians, one Canadian and one South African, officials said. They said the suspects denied all wrongdoing, saying that they believed they were working legally for a legitimate investment company. Immigration officials said they entered Thailand with different kinds of visas, including for retirement and education. Jirabhob said they were initially charged with racketeering and working in Thailand without a permit. He said further investigation could lead to more serious charges, including fraud and involvement in a transnational organised crime. Australian police officer Cressy said Australia suffered an estimated damage of $A4.45 billion from online scams in the past four years. A UN report in April said transnational organised crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities. Thai police say over a dozen foreigners, mostly Australians and British, were arrested for allegedly running an online investment fraud that had duped people out of at least $A1.9 million. Police on Monday raided a rental house in the province of Samut Prakan, neighbouring Bangkok, and arrested 13 people, said Jirabhob Bhuridej, chief of the police's Central Investigation Bureau, at a press conference in the Thai capital. Jirabhob said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) informed Thai authorities last year of a scam group led by an Australian and a British, and a joint investigation was launched. The alleged scammers operated out of Thailand to swindle money from victims in Australia and potentially other English-speaking countries through online advertisements and phone calls to invest in long-term bonds with a promise of high returns, Jirabhob said. Footage showed the men after being arrested in the rental house that was converted into an office. Papers of alleged scam scripts and workflow were taped to their partitioned desks. There were also whiteboards the police said were used for tracking their progress, and clocks on a wall showing time zones across Australia. Thai police said they staked out the house for several months and saw the men coming and going at times that coincided with working hours in Australia. They said they confiscated a number of phones, computers and other electronic devices allegedly used for the scam. AFP senior officer Kristie-Lee Cressy said at the Bangkok press conference that at least 14,000 Australians had fallen victim to this scam. "The group amassed at least 1.9 million in (Australian dollars) from Australian victims in just the short time it had been operating. Money that we say was stolen from hard-working Australians and not invested as promised," she said. "Shutting down this scam centre is a significant win for the communities of Thailand and Australia." Australian authorities believe the two leaders of the group had been running scams for many years and operating in several countries, including Indonesia, where they had escaped arrest before being found in Thailand, Jirabhob said. The group of men arrested in Thailand on Monday includes six British, five Australians, one Canadian and one South African, officials said. They said the suspects denied all wrongdoing, saying that they believed they were working legally for a legitimate investment company. Immigration officials said they entered Thailand with different kinds of visas, including for retirement and education. Jirabhob said they were initially charged with racketeering and working in Thailand without a permit. He said further investigation could lead to more serious charges, including fraud and involvement in a transnational organised crime. Australian police officer Cressy said Australia suffered an estimated damage of $A4.45 billion from online scams in the past four years. A UN report in April said transnational organised crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities. Thai police say over a dozen foreigners, mostly Australians and British, were arrested for allegedly running an online investment fraud that had duped people out of at least $A1.9 million. Police on Monday raided a rental house in the province of Samut Prakan, neighbouring Bangkok, and arrested 13 people, said Jirabhob Bhuridej, chief of the police's Central Investigation Bureau, at a press conference in the Thai capital. Jirabhob said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) informed Thai authorities last year of a scam group led by an Australian and a British, and a joint investigation was launched. The alleged scammers operated out of Thailand to swindle money from victims in Australia and potentially other English-speaking countries through online advertisements and phone calls to invest in long-term bonds with a promise of high returns, Jirabhob said. Footage showed the men after being arrested in the rental house that was converted into an office. Papers of alleged scam scripts and workflow were taped to their partitioned desks. There were also whiteboards the police said were used for tracking their progress, and clocks on a wall showing time zones across Australia. Thai police said they staked out the house for several months and saw the men coming and going at times that coincided with working hours in Australia. They said they confiscated a number of phones, computers and other electronic devices allegedly used for the scam. AFP senior officer Kristie-Lee Cressy said at the Bangkok press conference that at least 14,000 Australians had fallen victim to this scam. "The group amassed at least 1.9 million in (Australian dollars) from Australian victims in just the short time it had been operating. Money that we say was stolen from hard-working Australians and not invested as promised," she said. "Shutting down this scam centre is a significant win for the communities of Thailand and Australia." Australian authorities believe the two leaders of the group had been running scams for many years and operating in several countries, including Indonesia, where they had escaped arrest before being found in Thailand, Jirabhob said. The group of men arrested in Thailand on Monday includes six British, five Australians, one Canadian and one South African, officials said. They said the suspects denied all wrongdoing, saying that they believed they were working legally for a legitimate investment company. Immigration officials said they entered Thailand with different kinds of visas, including for retirement and education. Jirabhob said they were initially charged with racketeering and working in Thailand without a permit. He said further investigation could lead to more serious charges, including fraud and involvement in a transnational organised crime. Australian police officer Cressy said Australia suffered an estimated damage of $A4.45 billion from online scams in the past four years. A UN report in April said transnational organised crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities.
