A 75-year-old Canberra woman was tricked into spending a 'large sum of money' on Apple iTunes cards by a scammer claiming to work for the Australian Tax Office.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police are investigating after the scammer called the woman and threatened her if the fake debts were not paid via the iTunes cards.
The woman complied with the demands and was defrauded of a significant amount of money, an ACT policing spokesperson said.
A photo released by ACT Policing of the gift card backings kept by the woman suggest she handed over at least $5500 worth of gift card codes.
Officer-in-Charge of Tuggeranong Station, Station Sergeant Chris Meagher urged the community to remain vigilant and spread the word about this type of crime.
"Often the call comes from what appears to be an Australian phone number and the person claims to be from a government agency," Station Sergeant Meagher said.
"They say that the victim must repay a debt and may also threaten arrest if the victim doesn't pay."
He said members of the public should inform vulnerable people about how scammers work in an attempt to prevent these "callous" incidents.
"If you receive a call or email out of the blue from someone claiming to represent an organisation, saying that you are entitled to or owe money – hang up or delete the email immediately," he said.
"If you are unsure, look up the organisation's official number and call them to discuss."
Anyone who is targeted by a scam can report it to Scamwatch via www.scamwatch.gov.au or by calling 1300 795 995. If you have been defrauded, report it to police on 131 444.
