Police officer’s ‘heroic’ action saves senior from scammers: ‘He rescued me’
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In a world where technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, it's easy to forget that it can also be a double-edged sword.
The digital age has brought about a new wave of sophisticated scams targeting those who may be less tech-savvy.
But amidst these tales of deceit and trickery, there are glimmers of hope and heroism, such as an off-duty police officer whose keen observation and quick thinking saved an elderly woman from losing a significant sum of money to ruthless scammers.
The incident unfolded in Adelaide when an 84-year-old woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, fell victim to a scam.
‘At about 10 am, I was just about finished reading the news online when an absolutely blaring, loud sound with flashing red lights appeared saying I'd been hacked and to call the support line,’ the woman said.
‘A mistake I made was I didn't check the number before calling.’
The scammers, posing as bank officials, subjected her to a series of seemingly legitimate phone banking questions.
They then convinced her that $17,000 of her money had been transferred to a cryptocurrency wallet and that she needed to withdraw the same amount in cash and deposit it into a crypto ATM to reverse the transaction.
Despite her bank's inquiries, the woman, under the scammers' pressure, withdrew $5,000, hoping to salvage her finances.
'I should have checked the number, called back on a reputable number, checked with my bank, and not reacted in a panic,' the woman later reflected.
‘I was told not to contact friends or family and to tell the bank teller the money I was withdrawing was for my daughter. Looking back, that was a red flag.’
It was around 4 pm that day when Sergeant David Mitchell, an off-duty officer from the financial and cybercrime investigation branch, noticed the woman in distress at the crypto ATM.
‘I'm walking past, and I see the victim feeding money into the crypto ATM and immediately my adrenaline spikes because I could also see that she was on the phone,’ Mitchell said.
‘So, I've rushed in and yelled “stop”. I showed my ID and identified myself as a police officer because I was out of uniform and tried to prevent her from putting any more cash into the ATM.’
He explained that he had to take the money and phone from the woman to prevent her from adding more.
‘I spoke to the scammer, but he didn't believe I was a police officer. He hung up, and a woman called back, claiming to be the victim's daughter,’ he said.
‘I told them both how disgraceful and despicable they are before I was hung up on again.’
Despite his efforts, the scammers had already stolen $1,100, which was not recovered. However, thanks to Mitchell's timely action, the remaining $3,900 was saved.
The police also found and removed remote access software installed on the woman's phone, which could have led to further exploitation.
The woman expressed her profound gratitude to Sergeant Mitchell, calling him a 'hero'.
Mitchell's dedication extended beyond the incident, as he visited her days later to ensure she was coping well after the traumatic experience.
‘I wrote a letter of thanks to the Commissioner,’ she said.
‘I am an elderly widow, and Sergeant Mitchell rescued me from the incredibly stressful situation I found myself in. He even visited me several days later to make sure I was okay.’
Have you or someone you know encountered a similar situation? What measures do you take to ensure your safety online? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
The digital age has brought about a new wave of sophisticated scams targeting those who may be less tech-savvy.
But amidst these tales of deceit and trickery, there are glimmers of hope and heroism, such as an off-duty police officer whose keen observation and quick thinking saved an elderly woman from losing a significant sum of money to ruthless scammers.
The incident unfolded in Adelaide when an 84-year-old woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, fell victim to a scam.
‘At about 10 am, I was just about finished reading the news online when an absolutely blaring, loud sound with flashing red lights appeared saying I'd been hacked and to call the support line,’ the woman said.
A cop saved an elderly woman from losing a huge sum of money to scammers. Credit: South Australia Police
‘A mistake I made was I didn't check the number before calling.’
The scammers, posing as bank officials, subjected her to a series of seemingly legitimate phone banking questions.
They then convinced her that $17,000 of her money had been transferred to a cryptocurrency wallet and that she needed to withdraw the same amount in cash and deposit it into a crypto ATM to reverse the transaction.
Despite her bank's inquiries, the woman, under the scammers' pressure, withdrew $5,000, hoping to salvage her finances.
'I should have checked the number, called back on a reputable number, checked with my bank, and not reacted in a panic,' the woman later reflected.
‘I was told not to contact friends or family and to tell the bank teller the money I was withdrawing was for my daughter. Looking back, that was a red flag.’
It was around 4 pm that day when Sergeant David Mitchell, an off-duty officer from the financial and cybercrime investigation branch, noticed the woman in distress at the crypto ATM.
‘I'm walking past, and I see the victim feeding money into the crypto ATM and immediately my adrenaline spikes because I could also see that she was on the phone,’ Mitchell said.
‘So, I've rushed in and yelled “stop”. I showed my ID and identified myself as a police officer because I was out of uniform and tried to prevent her from putting any more cash into the ATM.’
He explained that he had to take the money and phone from the woman to prevent her from adding more.
‘I spoke to the scammer, but he didn't believe I was a police officer. He hung up, and a woman called back, claiming to be the victim's daughter,’ he said.
‘I told them both how disgraceful and despicable they are before I was hung up on again.’
Despite his efforts, the scammers had already stolen $1,100, which was not recovered. However, thanks to Mitchell's timely action, the remaining $3,900 was saved.
The police also found and removed remote access software installed on the woman's phone, which could have led to further exploitation.
The woman expressed her profound gratitude to Sergeant Mitchell, calling him a 'hero'.
Mitchell's dedication extended beyond the incident, as he visited her days later to ensure she was coping well after the traumatic experience.
‘I wrote a letter of thanks to the Commissioner,’ she said.
‘I am an elderly widow, and Sergeant Mitchell rescued me from the incredibly stressful situation I found myself in. He even visited me several days later to make sure I was okay.’
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