Phone scam alert: How fraud syndicates are robbing Aussies of millions of dollars
<p>Australians are being scammed of hundreds of millions of dollars by phone fraudsters claiming to be representatives of major organisations.</p>
<p>Elaborate fraud syndicates have been calling Aussies in an attempt to gain access to their finances.</p>
<p>In an interview with<em style="font-weight: inherit;"> A Current Affair</em>, Damian Cromwell said he received a call from someone who claimed to be from Telstra’s anti-fraud taskforce.</p>
<p>As they knew his details and the fact that he was a Telstra customer, Damian listened to them.</p>
<p>“They said they’re running a sting operation to get these scammers,” he said.</p>
<p>However, the person he was speaking to was connected to multiple other people on the phone who persuaded him to buy $2000-worth of gift cards in the hope of catching the scammers.</p>
<p>After the purchase was made, the imposter hung up immediately.</p>
<p>“That’s when I started to panic. I thought, ‘Gee, I’ve been done,’,” he said.</p>
<p>“I’m just a average guy. I’m not Forrest Gump – it can happen to anybody.”</p>
<p>Lorraine Saunders, 71, also received a call from a Telstra imposter and lost almost $10,000.</p>
<p>Lorraine received a call from someone claiming to be from the company to organise a new modem for her home.</p>
<p>Shortly after the phone call, her bank account had been drained.</p>
<p>“I thought it was true,” she said.</p>
<p>“I had savings there for my grandkids, who lost their father three years ago. It was all the savings I had.”</p>
<p>Sam Jenkins from Consumer Affairs Victoria said that although most victims ask for call-back numbers, syndicates have become smarter and now use multiple people.</p>
<p>“The scammers will say, ‘Yes there is a number’, and they’ll have one of their fellow scammers ready to take that call in just a few minutes’ time when the unsuspecting member of the community calls them,” he said.</p>
<p>“Major corporations and certainly government entities will never contact members of the community … and ask for money.”</p>
<p>Aussies are also being bombarded with calls from scammers pretending to be <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-ato-phone-scam-swindling-hundreds-of-thousands-from-aussie-taxpayers"><strong><u>investigation officers with the ATO</u></strong></a>.</p>
<p>Speaking to <em style="font-weight: inherit;">ACA,</em> Myrene Chambers said she received a call from a fraudster who threatened to call the Australian Federal Police if she didn’t back pay the ATO money.</p>
<p>“There’s a lot of people out there who are getting sucked into it,” she said.</p>
<p>“I was really scared. I actually thought it might’ve been the case. I started going through my head thinking, ‘What have I done? How could I have committed fraud?’”</p>
<p>Last year alone, Aussies lost $340 million to elaborate scams, which are becoming increasingly harder to detect. </p>
