AN elderly woman was swindled out of her $50,000 savings by a conman claiming to be from the Australian Taxation Office.
The Dingley Village woman, 80, was told she owed the money in back taxes and that if she did not pay up immediately she would be taken to court and lose her home.
In fear, the woman followed the man’s instructions and withdrew $50,000 from various locations and transferred the money via Western Union. The incident occurred in September but was not reported to Kingston CIU until last week.
The ATO reminds people – especially the elderly – that its tax agents never call people over the phone to demand money. Anyone who does so is bogus.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 30 November 2016
