You could lose everything...unless you spot the early signs of this doorstep scam

A Melbourne pensioner thought she was protecting her bank accounts—only to discover she had been robbed of tens of thousands of dollars.

The scam was so convincing that she willingly placed all her bank cards into an envelope and left them for the thieves to collect.

Now, police say more older Australians could be targeted by this emerging crime.


Bridgette, 74, said the ordeal began earlier this year when her computer screen suddenly flashed red and yellow with a warning claiming she had been hacked.

The message urged her to call a supposed Microsoft helpline, where a ‘very pleasant man’ told her that her bank accounts had also been compromised.

She was instructed to place all her bank and credit cards into an envelope labelled ‘Peter’ and leave it in her letterbox for collection.


image1.png
Woman, 74, tricked into handing over cards. Image source: Pexels/RDNE Stock project
Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.


The scammer promised she would receive new cards the following day.

Instead, Victoria Police said the stolen cards were used at a jewellery store in Sunshine, in Melbourne’s west, where $30,000 was spent.

‘I am a pensioner and it takes a long time to save money over the years,’ Bridgette shared.

Just three days later, a 73-year-old man fell victim to the exact same scheme.

He was told by someone pretending to be from his bank to follow the same process—place all his cards into an envelope in the letterbox.

By the time the cards were used at ATMs across three suburbs and at the same jewellery store as Bridgette’s, he was $45,000 out of pocket.


Victoria Police Detective Senior Constable Jack Aldersea said it was the first time his office had seen this kind of scam.

‘They prey on and take advantage of people that clearly don’t deserve it,’ he told the program.

‘Unfortunately, they seem to know or find out…people that are in this age bracket, and they target them.’

ScamWatch warned that letterbox scammers often pose as representatives from trusted organisations like banks or IT companies.

Authorities are urging people—especially older Australians—to hang up on unsolicited calls claiming to be from these institutions, and to verify any requests directly with their bank or service provider.


It only takes a momentary lapse in judgment for a scam to slip through the cracks, and the consequences can be more serious than you think.

In another case, a man learned this the hard way after receiving what looked like a legitimate email—only to find it was a trap.

Read more: 'I simply clicked the link': Man shares how one email put his Centrelink payments at risk

Key Takeaways
  • Scammers convinced victims to hand over their cards by pretending to be from trusted companies.
  • A Melbourne pensioner lost $30,000, while another victim lost $45,000.
  • Police say this type of letterbox scam is a new and alarming trend.
  • ScamWatch urges Australians to verify all suspicious requests before acting.

Losing hard-earned savings to a scam like this can be devastating—how can vulnerable Australians be better protected from such calculated deception?
 

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Why do these thieves never seem to get caught ? Surely the mongrels picking up the cards from mail boxes must have been caught on someone’s camera, and on the jewelers cameras ?
You never hear of any of them getting caught 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
 
what idiot would put their bank cards in an envelope and then in their post box and not expecct to lose money.
 
Phone your bank yourself first. That’s all I have to say.
 
Stupid is as stupid does!
Only a braindead, dumb, stupid fool would put their credit cards in an envelope and put them in their letterbox for some unknown person to collect..
Age, loneliness or any other reason is not an excuse..
These idiots deserve to lose everything they have!
 
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what idiot would put their bank cards in an envelope and then in their post box and not expecct to lose money.
Totally agree..
These idiots deserve to lose their life savings…
 
Phone your bank yourself first. That’s all I have to say.
Any intelligent person would do that but there in lies the problem as to why these scumbag scammers are successful.
There are far too many fools around.. (Maybe the Covid vaccine killed their brain cells!)
 
Did I just read this?

For a mere $45000, I will give Bridgette next week's Powerball numbers....
 
R E A L L Y....leave all your bank cards etc in an envelope in your letter box for Tony...
You didn't think this was strange.....give me a break.
 
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I'm sorry, you don't give details, let alone physical credit cards to anyone. Surely alarm bells must have gone off when this weird, suspicious move was made.
 
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She seriously needs help managing her affairs. Why didn't she ask a relative ? .Feel sorry she lost the money though which must be so distressing for her
 
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I just can’t envision a person putting all their cards in an envelope and putting them in their own letterbox marked Peter, or any other name, and expecting new ones to be delivered the next day ……..that’s a new one on me, it’s very hard to believe that a person can be taken in so easily and I feel so sorry for them……….. it’s not a nice thing to be calling them names, I’m sure they already know….
 
I just can’t envision a person putting all their cards in an envelope and putting them in their own letterbox marked Peter, or any other name, and expecting new ones to be delivered the next day ……..that’s a new one on me, it’s very hard to believe that a person can be taken in so easily and I feel so sorry for them……….. it’s not a nice thing to be calling them names, I’m sure they already know….
An old school letter bomb wouldn't have gone astray....
 
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I'm sorry to have to say it, but there's only one answer ... what a dill.
 
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Why would you be so stupid as to follow requests and put your cards in your
Mail box for goodness sake the first thing that would strike you would be
“Why would my Bank get me to do such a dangerous thing “
As for receiving new cards the next day anyone knows that is impossible..
 
Why would you be so stupid as to follow requests and put your cards in your
Mail box for goodness sake the first thing that would strike you would be
“Why would my Bank get me to do such a dangerous thing “
As for receiving new cards the next day anyone knows that is impossible..
Many years ago worked in a bank and know that a bank would not request you to do something so stupid as this. Contact you're bank yourself. Stop and think before you do something.
 
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Reactions: whiteyangel2002
Name calling by people here is not going to help anyone. Family or friends can help and she should have turned to them first. Feel sorry for her.
 
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Reactions: whiteyangel2002

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