Our People
Simon Smith - Head of Fraud
SCAMAssist is headed by Simon Smith, an Australian digital forensic IT expert witness with more than 24 years of technical experience in computer software and systems engineering, information security, and the forensic examination, validation and interpretation of digital evidence. He is the principal consultant of Official Intelligence Pty Ltd (ACN 136 181 989) and has built a national practice that prepares independent, court-recognised expert reports for instructing solicitors across Australia and New Zealand. The practice accepts instructions from defence and plaintiff law firms, insurers, corporate counsel and private parties in matters involving cybercrime offences, computer and mobile forensics, encrypted communications, telecommunications evidence, cyberstalking, data breaches and online fraud.
Mr Smith's current court work spans civil and criminal jurisdictions and covers technical fields including mobile device forensics through Cellebrite UFDR and Magnet AXIOM toolchains, encrypted messaging analysis, cell tower and telecommunications evidence, cloud and SaaS log examination, CCTV authenticity, cryptocurrency tracing and OSINT attribution. He is presently engaged as the sole defence-side expert witness in a number of AN0M and Operation Ironside matters before Australian courts, and regularly assists with the assessment of investment scam losses, business email compromise, ransomware, identity theft and romance fraud. He delivers court-compliant expert reports and gives oral evidence in committal, directions and final hearings.
Beyond technical reporting, Mr Smith is a nationally accredited mediator and conciliator, and has been appointed as a Commonwealth Dispute Resolution Practitioner. He is recognised as a Certified Fraud Examiner. He sits as an honorary advisory board member of EC-Council (IIB). His media commentary on cybercrime and scam victim recovery has been published or broadcast on Sky News, SBS, The Project (Channel 10), Spotlight (7NEWS), Today (Channel 9), ABC (Channel 2), A Current Affair (Channel 9), Amazon Prime, Australian radio and the Australian print press.
SCAMAssist applies that same depth of expert witness experience to its victim-facing work. The service combines forensic investigation, complaint advocacy through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), and case management for scam victims and their financial institutions, with the objective of recovery wherever recovery is achievable and clear, evidence-based escalation paths where it is not.
A full list of Mr Smith's professional credentials and current expert witness engagement guidance is available at www.expertwitness.com.au and www.ofi.com.au.