Pensioner escapes scam, says O'Neill

A Umina pensioner has narrowly escaped falling prey to an NBN scam, according to Senator Deborah O'Neill.

Senator O'Neill said she feared other customers were being targeted by scammers asking customers for personal information like names, dates of birth and Medicare numbers.

The Umina pensioner was called by a man who claimed to be an NBN technician, Senator O'Neill said.

"The caller then told the Umina resident that he would need to pay over the phone to connect to the NBN network using his credit cards and hundreds of dollars' worth of iTunes gift cards," she said.

"After the elderly man refused to pay, the caller left a phone number which was later found to be disconnected."

Senator O'Neill said she urged elderly residents to be wary of anyone who asks for personal details over the phone.

"For many senior citizens in our community, switching over to the NBN is a daunting process not only because of the disruptive headache of connecting to the network but it also makes them vulnerable to criminals who may wish to prey on innocent people," Senator O'Neill said.

SOURCE:

Media release, 29 Aug 2017

Rhys Zorro, Office of Senator Deborah O'Neill