A 102 year old woman was scammed out of $375,000 in Western Australia.
WA Consumer Protection Commissioner Lanie Chopping will tomorrow release further details of a payment redirection scam which resulted in the loss of $375,000, being the proceeds from the sale of a home owned by a 102 year old woman which was intended to cover her aged care costs.
According to the preliminary information, the woman’s grand-daughter was assisting with the transfer of funds to the aged care home when the payment was diverted by the scammers and the aged care home never received the funds.
Authorities in Western Australia have repeatedly warned members of the public to be aware of scams.
Last month online scammers used the identity of the WA Attorney-General (AG) to set up a fake website luring people to a multi-million dollar beneficiary hoax.
Consumer Protection said there had been reports from two people who received emails purporting to be from AG John Quigley as the lawyer for a deceased person. It was claimed the person had left $4.3 million in a bank account and had no will.
There was a link to a fake website with the name 'JR'Quigley LEGAL' which featured Mr Quigley's name and image, and the address of ministerial offices at Dumas House in West Perth.
Consumer Protection said the website was a copy of a NSW law firm's page with some amendments made.
