NSW detective betrays and scams elderly victim out of $20,000
- Replies 15
We often turn to the police to help us in times of danger and distress. That's why it is especially heartbreaking when you hear of police taking advantage of those moments of vulnerability.
This was the plight of a 74-year-old Sydney woman, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Sonia, due to fears of being targeted again.
In May 2021, Sonia was the victim of a horrible scam. She was tricked into transferring $30,000 to fraudsters who had posed as NBN workers.
After realising what had happened, she reported the incident to her local police station and was assigned a detective to help her recover the money.
But this detective, who cannot be named, had ulterior motives. He instead stole her bank details and went on a $20,000 spending spree.
How did this happen?
After coming to her house several times, often in uniform, the detective gained Sonia's trust by telling her he suffered from a brain aneurysm and hadn't told his job or girlfriend about it yet.
He also said that Sonia 'reminded him of his own grandmother’, according to police documents.
Sonia had no reason to doubt the officer, with whom she was trying to cooperate for the sake of her case. So when he requested to see her online banking details and passwords, she acquiesced without suspicion.
It was at this point that the detective duped the 74-year-old — he told Sonia that she had to leave the room for a while as he needed some privacy before taking a call from his girlfriend. However, little did she know, he was stealing her banking information instead.
The detective attempted to purchase items, including iPhones, GoPro cameras, and Apple Watches, from JB Hi Fi, BIG W, and Myer totaling over $20,000.
Fortunately, Sonia got a text from her bank soon after which indicated there was some unusual activity, and she realised what was happening.
Additionally, it was heard in court that the attempted purchases were not successful because they were all deemed suspicious.
Sonia immediately grew suspicious of the detective who was supposed to be assisting her with her case.
'I thought: "You rotten little thing" - and maybe a bit worse,' she recalled.
Sonia was forced to return to the same police station, despite the officer abusing her trust.
She requested a private room so that she could discuss what had happened in detail without fearing for her security.
She received a call from an NSW Police internal investigation officer two weeks later informing her that they had located the detective who had taken her personal information.
But it only got more shocking from here...
The now-former detective pleaded guilty to stealing Sonia’s bank details, fraudulently looking up details on an internal police system, and using his ex-girlfriend's identity to try to access $140,000 of loans.
He was also originally charged with 57 offences but they were later reduced to the ones he pleaded guilty to.
In court, his barrister Greg James KC tried to explain his client's behaviour, saying he had gone ‘off the rails’ and fallen into a depression due to PTSD after a kidnapping and a shooting incident at his home.
The prosecution said it couldn’t be proven that there was a ‘causal connection’ between the detective’s mental illness and his crime.
On May 12, the former detective will receive his sentence in Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.
More than 18 months after the incident, Sonia is still very troubled and blames herself for trusting the detective.
‘I can’t switch off feeling that I was stupid in the first place ... I trusted this guy and then he did that,’ she said.
Members, this story serves as a reminder of why awareness and precaution are essential, especially when it comes to your safety and security.
Here are some tips on how you can secure your sensitive information if you are worried about a similar situation:
1. Make sure the officer is wearing their police uniform and provide their I.D., if asked.
2. Ask the police officer to inform you of the purpose of any requests they make.
3. Do not feel obligated to share any personal information, such as banking details.
4. Avoid being alone – make sure a close friend or family member is present with you.
5. Take records and write down the details of any interactions you have with the police officer.
We encourage our members to keep in mind that no one – be it police or otherwise – is above suspicion. If your gut is telling you something is wrong, there is likely a good reason for it.
And, as always, contact both your bank and the police immediately if you think you have been a victim of fraud.
Stay safe out there!
This was the plight of a 74-year-old Sydney woman, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Sonia, due to fears of being targeted again.
In May 2021, Sonia was the victim of a horrible scam. She was tricked into transferring $30,000 to fraudsters who had posed as NBN workers.
After realising what had happened, she reported the incident to her local police station and was assigned a detective to help her recover the money.
But this detective, who cannot be named, had ulterior motives. He instead stole her bank details and went on a $20,000 spending spree.
The detective attempted to use a credit card belonging to a 74-year-old woman from Western Sydney to make purchases totalling over $20,000. Credit: Pexels/Vladimir Chake.
How did this happen?
After coming to her house several times, often in uniform, the detective gained Sonia's trust by telling her he suffered from a brain aneurysm and hadn't told his job or girlfriend about it yet.
He also said that Sonia 'reminded him of his own grandmother’, according to police documents.
Sonia had no reason to doubt the officer, with whom she was trying to cooperate for the sake of her case. So when he requested to see her online banking details and passwords, she acquiesced without suspicion.
It was at this point that the detective duped the 74-year-old — he told Sonia that she had to leave the room for a while as he needed some privacy before taking a call from his girlfriend. However, little did she know, he was stealing her banking information instead.
The detective attempted to purchase items, including iPhones, GoPro cameras, and Apple Watches, from JB Hi Fi, BIG W, and Myer totaling over $20,000.
Fortunately, Sonia got a text from her bank soon after which indicated there was some unusual activity, and she realised what was happening.
Additionally, it was heard in court that the attempted purchases were not successful because they were all deemed suspicious.
Sonia immediately grew suspicious of the detective who was supposed to be assisting her with her case.
'I thought: "You rotten little thing" - and maybe a bit worse,' she recalled.
In order to win her trust, the detective visited her house multiple times in police uniform. Credit: Pexels.
Sonia was forced to return to the same police station, despite the officer abusing her trust.
She requested a private room so that she could discuss what had happened in detail without fearing for her security.
She received a call from an NSW Police internal investigation officer two weeks later informing her that they had located the detective who had taken her personal information.
But it only got more shocking from here...
The now-former detective pleaded guilty to stealing Sonia’s bank details, fraudulently looking up details on an internal police system, and using his ex-girlfriend's identity to try to access $140,000 of loans.
He was also originally charged with 57 offences but they were later reduced to the ones he pleaded guilty to.
In court, his barrister Greg James KC tried to explain his client's behaviour, saying he had gone ‘off the rails’ and fallen into a depression due to PTSD after a kidnapping and a shooting incident at his home.
The prosecution said it couldn’t be proven that there was a ‘causal connection’ between the detective’s mental illness and his crime.
On May 12, the former detective will receive his sentence in Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.
More than 18 months after the incident, Sonia is still very troubled and blames herself for trusting the detective.
‘I can’t switch off feeling that I was stupid in the first place ... I trusted this guy and then he did that,’ she said.
Members, this story serves as a reminder of why awareness and precaution are essential, especially when it comes to your safety and security.
Here are some tips on how you can secure your sensitive information if you are worried about a similar situation:
1. Make sure the officer is wearing their police uniform and provide their I.D., if asked.
2. Ask the police officer to inform you of the purpose of any requests they make.
3. Do not feel obligated to share any personal information, such as banking details.
4. Avoid being alone – make sure a close friend or family member is present with you.
5. Take records and write down the details of any interactions you have with the police officer.
We encourage our members to keep in mind that no one – be it police or otherwise – is above suspicion. If your gut is telling you something is wrong, there is likely a good reason for it.
And, as always, contact both your bank and the police immediately if you think you have been a victim of fraud.
Stay safe out there!
.png){kind=icon}
