Northern Territory Police is currently investigating numerous business email compromises scams which have occurred over the past month, these scams appear to be been targeting the building and real-estate industries.

On the 13 September 2022, a building company was subject to a business email compromise scam in which over $550,000 was transferred to a fraudulent bank account.

On the 20 October 2022, another business was subject to a business email compromise scam in which over $530,000 was transferred to a fraudulent bank account.

Detectives from the Cybercrime Unit are currently investigating both incidents, which at this stage are not believed to be connected.

Senior Constable Nadine Caulfield said “Emails are an integral part of our personal and professional business. We need to be aware of the risks and take steps to be safe while online.

“Scammers can be very good at impersonating accounts and addresses. If you are planning on transferring a large amount of money online, police recommend contacting the recipient directly in order to confirm payment details.  

“This is a warning that online offenders continue to target the Northern Territory community.

“If you fall victim to online crime, we encourage you to report it to police through cyber.gov.au  or for more information to protect yourself online, visit becybersmart.nt.gov.au.”