ASIC removes 14,000 scam sites in two years, Crypto fraud represents 20% of withdrawals
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has deleted more than 14,000 investment and phishing websites since July 2023, with cryptographic fraud representing approximately 3,015 withdrawals or 20% of all moves.
The ASIC continues to close an average of 130 malicious sites each week while expanding its capacities to include advertisements on social networks in its fight against online investment fraud.
The latest update of the regulator’s application reveals sophisticated crook tactics, including AI washing patterns affirming that false trading robots generate passive income, smooth website models allowing launch of fast copycats and false press articles with celebrity approvals generated by AI.
In particular, masking techniques are becoming more and more used. This technique allows crooks to modify the content displayed as a function of the location of the target and the type of device, while third -party integrations provide false legitimacy.
The ASIC obtained significant application results in the first half of 2025, including 57.5 million dollars in civil sanctions imposed by the courts, six criminal convictions and 345 new surveys began.
ASIC Application and Regulatory Update from January to July 2025 Source: ASIC
The agency has completed 95 companies linked to international “pork butcher” regimes after receiving nearly 1,500 victims’ claims totaling $ 35.8 million in losses in 14 countries.
Investment scams remain the main type of fraud having an impact on Australians, the victims losing $ 945 million in 2024, despite the overall scam losses of 25.9% compared to the peak of $ 3.1 billion.
ASIC application priorities are focused on misconduct operating retirement pension savings, commercial models avoiding credit protections to consumers and greenwashing involving claims for environmental sustainability.
The regulator obtained major sanctions against financial institutions, including a fine of $ 27 million against Australiansuper for having failed to merge members of 90,700 members over a decade.
Active Super has faced a penalty of $ 10.5 million for Greenwashing’s misconduct after having invested in titles which, according to him, were eliminated by environmental screens.
ASIC disruption work includes the coordination of the deletion of more than 130 malicious websites each week, adding 500 new license entries to its list of Moneysmart investor alerts and publishing consumer warnings on specific fraud patterns.
The agency invoiced the director of Mormarkets PTY LTD, Brendan Gunn, of having treated the alleged product of investment scams.
