A $15,000 bonus for pensioners from the federal government might sound like a fantastic pre-election sweetener. It's not.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
NSW Police has issued an alert to the public after a pensioner lost $2100 in a scam that originated through a phone call.
"It revolves around the scammers ringing a victim and telling them Scott Morrison was going to give all the pensioners $15,000 to help them out," officers said in a statement.
READ ALSO:
Police said the scammer tells the victim that they must purchase as many Google Play cards as possible.
"Victims are then told to call the scammer back on the phone number below and scratch off the security seal from the back of the cards and read the verification numbers to the scammer over the phone," officers said.
A victim reported to police in late March that they had lost $2100 to a scammer after they purchased Google Play cards and supplied all the numbers over the phone.
"On this occasion what appeared to an ACT landline number (02 6100 8484) was used by the scammer," officers said.
"This number is a Skype phone number (not registered) and is not a landline number.
"It is a former phone number of a business in the ACT which has not been used for several years."
Police officers have warned the community not to pay any person regardless of who or what they represent in Google Play cards, iTunes cards or any other redeemable card.
For more information go to the scamwatch website.