The Korea Herald

News,

By ABC NEWS (Australia)

Published : Oct. 30, 2024 - 19:18

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When 91-year-old Grace took a call claiming to be from her bank she was initially skeptical. But within moments the man on the end of the line had worked his way through her distrust. “He gave my full name. He gave my address. He told me I was a widow. And I lived, where I lived.” Grace was told she was the last piece of a puzzle that would put a known scammer behind bars. She just needed to do one thing. “He said I want you to buy four Apple gift cards.” The caller told Grace a taxi was waiting for her outside her Perth home and before she knew it she was in the back seat. “I walked out to the taxi. I got in it like a fool.” Grace was driven to a shopping complex in the city's north, where an alert checkout operator stopped her purchase. All the while the scammer was still on her phone, ready with further instructions. “I felt like fainting to be honest with you. I felt so stupid. I felt gullible. But they are such experts in what they do.” The 91-year-old was spotted by neighbours and returned home to her worried family. Her story now a warning to others who may be targeted. “They are absolute mongrels. There is no other word to describe taking advantage of a 91-year-old woman.” And a reminder of how fast your money can be lost. “The itunes gift cards and those gift card scams kind of fell out of favour, but we're definitely seeing a resurgence of them this year.” The incident is now under investigation by the Commonwealth Bank, after it acted to ensure the security of Grace's accounts. “How he knew my address. How he knew my phone number. How he knew my husband had passed. My full name, my age, my birthday.” Those details likely obtained through data harvesting. Consumer Protection has a simple message for the community. “If they are calling you out of the blue and telling you that they need you to help them catch another scammer, hang up the phone. The only people that will ask you to catch a scammer, is a scammer.” Almost two months on from her ordeal, Grace is still trying to process what happened to her. And she wants to make sure it happens to nobody else. “I won't let it beat me. I won't let it beat me. But if can help anybody else by what my story tells you I hope you really listen.”