SCAMMERS FAKE IT WITH FAMILIAR FALSE FAIR TRADING NAME PENSIONERS LOSE MILLIONS

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe is warning consumers across the state to hang up on cold callers offering refunds on bank fees or rewards of any kind.

Mr Stowe said the agency had received a report this week from a male pensioner from Woodville near Maitland who took a call, allegedly from the Commonwealth Bank, telling him he was entitled to reimbursement of $31,000 on overpaid bank charges and that he needed to pay $9,700 to facilitate the transfer.

“The man paid that money into a Westpac bank account and then, under instruction from the scammer, paid another $9,700 into another bank account, this time with NAB,” he said.

“On both occasions the man withdrew $9,700 cash from his own account and deposited the cash into other bank accounts at the respective bank branches.

“The man was told to call an ‘Alan Spencer’ from Fair Trading and it was this individual, who is not from Fair Trading, who instructed the pensioner about making the withdrawals and provided him with the account numbers. The phone number provided for the fake Alan Spencer was 8005 6569.

“This is not a Fair Trading number although someone calling himself Alan Spencer answered that number this week.”

Commissioner Stowe issued a scam warning with reference to the name Alan Spencer on 4 June 2013.

He said it was an insidious scam and people continued to be stung by it.

“Unfortunately it is often the elderly and trusting who become victims,” he said.

Another consumer has told Fair Trading she has lost millions to scammers via a similar scam, this time with offers of awards and recognition. She also thought she was dealing with a legitimate Fair Trading officer.

“Scammers trade on consumer trust in Fair Trading and other government agencies, but people should know that no government agency cold calls you offering money,” Mr Stowe said.

Scammers often know a number of the consumer’s personal details such as a date of birth, address or bank account details.

Never give out personal or financial details over the phone. Check if in doubt about the legitimacy of any calls or emails. Always look up phone numbers in an independent directory. Scammers take millions of dollars from individuals and businesses every year. To report a scam call Fair Trading on 13 32 20 or go to www.scamwatch.gov.au