93-year-old woman’s $58,000 savings becomes target of 25-year-old man’s alleged attempted scam
- Replies 11
Scams targeting vulnerable individuals remain a prevalent and concerning issue today, often exploiting trust and financial naivety.
In a distressing turn of events, a 93-year-old woman became the target of an elaborate scam orchestrated by a 25-year-old Victorian man.
These incidents serve as stark reminders of the potential risks faced by elderly and vulnerable populations in financial transactions.
Pretending to be a fraud investigator, the man allegedly made several phone calls to the woman between 26 and 27 June.
He allegedly coerced the elderly woman into withdrawing a substantial $58,000 from her accounts and convinced her that this money was necessary to safeguard her finances from supposed scammers.
The woman, residing in South Perth, became suspicious and confided in a neighbour, who wisely advised her to contact the authorities.
Upon learning that the man planned to collect the money from her home, the police swiftly apprehended him near the Causeway Bridge on Riverside Drive in Perth on Friday, June 28.
Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Thompson of the Cannington Detectives Office highlighted the prevalence of such scams targeting elderly and vulnerable individuals in the community.
‘Victims are being contacted by telephone from people posing to be fraud investigators,’ he said.
‘These groups convince victims they are in danger of being ‘hacked’ and pose as legitimate fraud specialists willing to assist.’
‘Once trust is gained, the groups request large sums of cash and gift card payments to conduct their investigation.’
‘Cannington Detectives Office would like to urge the public to remain vigilant of fraudulent activities and scams within the community.’
The accused 25-year-old has faced serious charges, including two counts of intent to defraud by deceit and one count of attempted intent to defraud by deceit.
He is scheduled to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on 18 July.
In a similar story, a 95-year-old great-grandmother was scammed out of $1.6 million by individuals posing as bank officials.
The victim’s daughter thought it was a legitimate interaction with her mother’s bank and felt deeply ashamed after realising the scam. You can read more about the story here.
What steps do you take to protect yourself or your loved ones from potential scams? Share your insights and experiences in the comments below!
In a distressing turn of events, a 93-year-old woman became the target of an elaborate scam orchestrated by a 25-year-old Victorian man.
These incidents serve as stark reminders of the potential risks faced by elderly and vulnerable populations in financial transactions.
Pretending to be a fraud investigator, the man allegedly made several phone calls to the woman between 26 and 27 June.
He allegedly coerced the elderly woman into withdrawing a substantial $58,000 from her accounts and convinced her that this money was necessary to safeguard her finances from supposed scammers.
The 25-year-old man coerced the 93-year-old woman to withdraw $58,000 from her account. Credit: Shutterstock
The woman, residing in South Perth, became suspicious and confided in a neighbour, who wisely advised her to contact the authorities.
Upon learning that the man planned to collect the money from her home, the police swiftly apprehended him near the Causeway Bridge on Riverside Drive in Perth on Friday, June 28.
Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Thompson of the Cannington Detectives Office highlighted the prevalence of such scams targeting elderly and vulnerable individuals in the community.
‘Victims are being contacted by telephone from people posing to be fraud investigators,’ he said.
‘These groups convince victims they are in danger of being ‘hacked’ and pose as legitimate fraud specialists willing to assist.’
‘Once trust is gained, the groups request large sums of cash and gift card payments to conduct their investigation.’
‘Cannington Detectives Office would like to urge the public to remain vigilant of fraudulent activities and scams within the community.’
The accused 25-year-old has faced serious charges, including two counts of intent to defraud by deceit and one count of attempted intent to defraud by deceit.
He is scheduled to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on 18 July.
In a similar story, a 95-year-old great-grandmother was scammed out of $1.6 million by individuals posing as bank officials.
The victim’s daughter thought it was a legitimate interaction with her mother’s bank and felt deeply ashamed after realising the scam. You can read more about the story here.
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