Sydney teenager charged after allegedly blackmailing 93 Optus customers affected by data breach - ABC News
Sydney teenager charged after allegedly blackmailing 93 Optus customers affected by data breach
By Jake Lapham
Posted Thu 6 Oct 2022 at 5:40amThursday 6 Oct 2022 at 5:40am, updated Thu 6 Oct 2022 at 7:00amThursday 6 Oct 2022 at 7:00am
police arrest a young man
The 19-year-old Sydney man has been charged with two offences.(Supplied: AFP)
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A 19-year-old Sydney man has been charged after allegedly using information obtained during last month's Optus data breach to blackmail people.
Key points:
The alleged offender from Sydney's south accessed the records of 93 Optus customers
He faces offences that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail
It's the first arrest associated with the data hack but the AFP says there may be more
It is alleged the man threatened 93 customers via text messages, saying he would use their details to commit financial crimes unless they paid $2,000.
No customers paid the money.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers swooped on the man at a Rockdale home in Sydney's south on Thursday morning where they seized a mobile phone they allege is linked to the text messages.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough alleged the man would have continued to send texts had he not been arrested.
He has been charged with two offences, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 and seven years' imprisonment if found guilty.
"We would allege that the offender was working their way through the list… we would suggest he was prevented from committing future harm to the community," Assistant Commissioner Gough said.
a police woman wearing glasses talking
Assistant commissioner Gough says the arrest has stopped the man from sending more texts.(ABC News)
Assistant Commissioner Gough said the man was not suspected of being the individual responsible for the Optus breach but allegedly tried to financially benefit from the 10,200 stolen records that were dumped on an online forum.
She has warned people impacted by the breach to be suspicious of text messages, and not to click on links claiming to be from Optus, banks, police or other organisations offering to help with the data leak.
Assistant Commissioner Gough said the man was the first person who had been arrested under Operation Guardian and suspected it would not be the last.
"We are doing whatever we can working around the clock to protect Australians whose details have been released," she said.
Optus given temporary power to share data with banks following hack
Optus will be able to share drivers licences, Medicare and passport numbers with banks and government agencies to assist in fraud detection following the massive data breach.
Signage on a store window reading "OPTUS YES"
Read more
She took the opportunity to warn scammers against using the data leaked in the breach.
"Do not test the capability or dedication of law enforcement. The AFP, our state partners and industry are relentlessly scouring forums and other online sites for criminal activity linked to this breach.
"Just because there has been one arrest does not mean there won’t be more.
"Be really, really conscious about suspicious and unexpected messages and activities across online platforms."
police arrest a young male
The 19-year-old is the first man to be arrested under Operation Guardian.(ABC News)
The man is charged with using a telecommunication network with intent to commit a serious offence, and dealing with identification information with intent to commit an offence.
He will appear in Sydney Central Local Court at a later date.
By Jake Lapham
Posted Thu 6 Oct 2022 at 5:40amThursday 6 Oct 2022 at 5:40am, updated Thu 6 Oct 2022 at 7:00amThursday 6 Oct 2022 at 7:00am
police arrest a young man
The 19-year-old Sydney man has been charged with two offences.(Supplied: AFP)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
COPY LINK
SHARE
A 19-year-old Sydney man has been charged after allegedly using information obtained during last month's Optus data breach to blackmail people.
Key points:
The alleged offender from Sydney's south accessed the records of 93 Optus customers
He faces offences that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail
It's the first arrest associated with the data hack but the AFP says there may be more
It is alleged the man threatened 93 customers via text messages, saying he would use their details to commit financial crimes unless they paid $2,000.
No customers paid the money.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers swooped on the man at a Rockdale home in Sydney's south on Thursday morning where they seized a mobile phone they allege is linked to the text messages.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough alleged the man would have continued to send texts had he not been arrested.
He has been charged with two offences, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 and seven years' imprisonment if found guilty.
"We would allege that the offender was working their way through the list… we would suggest he was prevented from committing future harm to the community," Assistant Commissioner Gough said.
a police woman wearing glasses talking
Assistant commissioner Gough says the arrest has stopped the man from sending more texts.(ABC News)
Assistant Commissioner Gough said the man was not suspected of being the individual responsible for the Optus breach but allegedly tried to financially benefit from the 10,200 stolen records that were dumped on an online forum.
She has warned people impacted by the breach to be suspicious of text messages, and not to click on links claiming to be from Optus, banks, police or other organisations offering to help with the data leak.
Assistant Commissioner Gough said the man was the first person who had been arrested under Operation Guardian and suspected it would not be the last.
"We are doing whatever we can working around the clock to protect Australians whose details have been released," she said.
Optus given temporary power to share data with banks following hack
Optus will be able to share drivers licences, Medicare and passport numbers with banks and government agencies to assist in fraud detection following the massive data breach.
Signage on a store window reading "OPTUS YES"
Read more
She took the opportunity to warn scammers against using the data leaked in the breach.
"Do not test the capability or dedication of law enforcement. The AFP, our state partners and industry are relentlessly scouring forums and other online sites for criminal activity linked to this breach.
"Just because there has been one arrest does not mean there won’t be more.
"Be really, really conscious about suspicious and unexpected messages and activities across online platforms."
police arrest a young male
The 19-year-old is the first man to be arrested under Operation Guardian.(ABC News)
The man is charged with using a telecommunication network with intent to commit a serious offence, and dealing with identification information with intent to commit an offence.
He will appear in Sydney Central Local Court at a later date.
