An Avalon woman in her nineties has been scammed into handing over $10,000 to an unknown offender. On 30 June, the woman received a pop-up message on her computer, alerting her of a financial compromise. She called the number on the screen and a scammer allegedly informed her that her bank detected fraudulent activity in China. The caller allegedly instructed the woman to transfer money from her account so it could not be compromised, convincing her to withdraw cash and package it for collection by a fake Cyber Security Unit officer.
A bank teller questioned the woman when she withdrew cash, who responded with a script allegedly given to her by the scammer. The woman told the teller the cash was to pay for a builder. The woman then received a phone call and handed $10,000 cash to someone who arrived at her Avalon house. The alleged offender is described as female with dark hair, wearing all black clothing and a white face mask. Detectives are investigating.
This incident comes after a surge in scam activity targeting older adults. A 2025 Australian Seniors Scams Report revealed ‘the growing challenge of staying scam-savvy in an age of misinformation,’ alongside the impact of AI and evolving online methods.