scum-sucking scammers
Jul. 15th, 2010 03:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
miriam_eToday, about 2pm, I was contacted via phone by someone claiming to be from the Australia Council and involved in reimbursing people for bank fees on overdrawn money. This immediately rang alarm bells because I never overdraw my account.
More alarm bells were rung by the amount of fees they claimed I was entitled to: $3114. I bank with the Bendigo Bank and their fees amount to a pittance. It would take decades to accrue that amount.
The caller knew my name and address, but he could get that from any phone book. He had a strong Indian accent and claimed his name was Jason Maxwell. He said he would give me his contact details, but first asked for confirmation of who I was by telling him which bank I used. I paused, wondering whether that could be used for ill, but figured it was probably safe, so I told him, so that I could get his details. I should have lied and given the wrong bank.
In return he gave me a contact number for me to ring him back later:
03 9028 0018
I was to go to a Post Office and get a "Western Union Money Receiving Form" and a "Western Union Money Sending Form". (This set off more alarms because Western Union is a money transfer company in USA. The Australian Government would use Australia Post.) After getting the forms I was supposed to call them back on the above number so they could help me fill them out. They suggested I send the forms as "Postal Transaction" to avoid tax charges (I think it would actually be to avoid raising the suspicions of postal people).
After the call I phoned the Bendigo Bank. They hadn't heard of it. I called the Australia Council. They told me it was definitely a scam -- they'd been contacted by many people regarding this. I called the police, and they suggested I contact the Office of Fair Trading, so I went to their website and filled out their report at:
http://www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au/report-a-consumer-scam.htm
I have no intention of getting the forms or calling them back. I hope someone brings these pieces of human garbage down before they fleece too many senior citizens of their money.
More alarm bells were rung by the amount of fees they claimed I was entitled to: $3114. I bank with the Bendigo Bank and their fees amount to a pittance. It would take decades to accrue that amount.
The caller knew my name and address, but he could get that from any phone book. He had a strong Indian accent and claimed his name was Jason Maxwell. He said he would give me his contact details, but first asked for confirmation of who I was by telling him which bank I used. I paused, wondering whether that could be used for ill, but figured it was probably safe, so I told him, so that I could get his details. I should have lied and given the wrong bank.
In return he gave me a contact number for me to ring him back later:
03 9028 0018
I was to go to a Post Office and get a "Western Union Money Receiving Form" and a "Western Union Money Sending Form". (This set off more alarms because Western Union is a money transfer company in USA. The Australian Government would use Australia Post.) After getting the forms I was supposed to call them back on the above number so they could help me fill them out. They suggested I send the forms as "Postal Transaction" to avoid tax charges (I think it would actually be to avoid raising the suspicions of postal people).
After the call I phoned the Bendigo Bank. They hadn't heard of it. I called the Australia Council. They told me it was definitely a scam -- they'd been contacted by many people regarding this. I called the police, and they suggested I contact the Office of Fair Trading, so I went to their website and filled out their report at:
http://www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au/report-a-consumer-scam.htm
I have no intention of getting the forms or calling them back. I hope someone brings these pieces of human garbage down before they fleece too many senior citizens of their money.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 05:41 am (UTC)http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/0390280018
(Your LJ is hit 3 and 4 on google for this.)
Looks like the number is based around the Malvern/Balaclava area.
You could probably contact Telstra and have the number nuked.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 05:42 am (UTC)Way to do their research.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-16 12:36 am (UTC)The phone is probably an internet phone that uses a local number. I have a friend who lives overseas for part of the year and she has a local number that people can call from inside Australia, but which lets her talk to them from anywhere in the world. Yet another example of how Australian phone companies are ripping us off.
Yes. I had to laugh at them using the Australia Council as their fictitious headquarters. As if an arts body would be reimbursing people for bank over-charges.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 05:48 am (UTC)http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/0280915007
suggests they've moved the scam from NSW to VIC.
(Includes someone writing a report for the AC).
Since you're all famous on Google now, a guide to advance fee fraud:
http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/consumerprotection/scamnet/content/pages/FightBack/advance_fee_fraud.html
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 05:54 am (UTC)http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/08000664721/2
They hit the UK earlier in the year, or a variant scam did, and the Guardian did a story:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/feb/22/bank-charges
Seems like quite a few people have fallen for it.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-16 12:39 am (UTC)I hope someone comes down heavily on these mongrels and publicises it sufficiently to dissuade others from trying it and to make people more suspicious of such crooks.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-22 05:03 am (UTC)It seems to be quite profitable.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-22 08:41 am (UTC)