A further two people were last night charged for their alleged involvement in a Gold Coast cold call investment fraud that has left 64 victims with a combined loss of over $1.5 million.
On June 13, two men aged 54 and 29 and a 25-year-old woman all of Currumbin Waters were charged with money laundering.
Last night, detectives from State Crime Operations Command’s Fraud and Corporate Crime Group charged two men, aged 28 and 30 with one count each of money laundering.
They are due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning.
Police allege the scam involved victims being cold called by telemarketers and offered an opportunity to invest in an index trading scheme which promised a return on their investment after an agreed period of time.
Victims who invested were allegedly offered access to a website where they could track their “investment” and balance. It is alleged these balances were manipulated to show a false profit.
The Fraud and Corporate Crime Group have been investigating this group for several months and were assisted by the Australian Crime Commission and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.
The public is urged to double check the legitimacy of investment companies by ensuring they are operating with an Australian Financial Services Licence. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) website (www.fido.gov.au) lists all companies holding a licence and contains a list of blacklisted or banned operators.
Comprehensive information on scams can be obtained from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website (www.scamwatch.gov.au).
