CANBERRA, ACT, April 1 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release:

This is a joint media release between the AFP and Philippines Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

Editor's note: Images of scam centres and training, and audio grabs are available via Hightail.

From the outside these buildings look like unassuming corporate offices, operating as legitimate call centres, which are a regular sight across Asia.

Take a step inside, though, and the reality is very different.

Across the floors, hundreds of scammers acting in full role-play mode adopt personas as devoted girlfriends or boyfriends, crypto enthusiasts and investment gurus, working to bait and defraud victims online from around the globe.

Welcome t...