Australian government’s gambling watchdog is warning punters to never deal with illegal overseas bookies like the way mothers forbid their children from talking to strangers.

Brisbane Times reported that Australia’s Black Economy Taskforce (BET) has sounded the alarm bells that illegal bookies based in Asia are siphoning tens of millions of Australian dollars from punters from the land down under through a high-tech money laundering system.

Authorities traced billions of dollars of punters’ money going to the Philippines and Vietnam.

The modus operandi of these illegal bookmakers is to lure punters – including the seasoned ones – in disclosing sensitive banking details, according to outgoing Racing Victoria integrity boss Dayle Brown. These illegal bookmakers use representatives in Australia to carry out the illicit scheme.