Walcha Police sergeant Anthony Smith says the 81-year-old man received a phone call earlier this month from a person claiming to be from the Department of Human Services’ Centrelink office. 

The caller said there had been an error with the man’s pension payments and that he was to present himself to Centrelink where he would receive a backdated cheque for the money owed to him.

During the conversation, the victim was asked to purchase a $100 iTunes card to facilitate the processing of payments to him.

He was given a phone number to call once he had purchased the card and when he did this he was asked by the woman who answered the call to scratch and reveal the 16 digit code and tell her what it was. He was then asked to buy another iTunes card valued at $250.

Luckily when the victim went to purchase the second card the local Australia Post office staff queried what the man was using the iTunes cards for and when he explained they alerted him to the potential scam and advised him to contact police. The man then called the Armidale Centrelink office and was told they knew nothing of the person who was supposed to meet him there to give him his cheque.

Sergeant Anthony Smith said he called the number given to the man.

“I called the number and heard the call being diverted before being answered by a female voice with an Asian accent claiming to be from Centrelink,” he said. 

“It’s quite a sophisticated operation and those involved are trained in speaking with people to make them feel comfortable. The community needs to be aware of these scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is and certainly, don't ever disclose any personal information over the phone, or be too embarrassed to report it if happens to you. ”

Mr Smith said investigating scams perpetrated by people residing offshore is difficult.