Police are reminding people to be wary when receiving ‘cold calls’ from unknown people claiming to be employees of organisations such as the police or the Australian Taxation Office.

These scammers are deceiving their victims into depositing large amounts of cash or purchasing gift cards. They are also threatening victims that they will be arrested by warrant for non-payment of fines or for committing other criminal acts.

Victims of these scams are also tricked into providing their personal details.

Numerous Tasmanians have fallen victim to the scam over recent weeks losing tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

Police would like to remind the public that no genuine organisation will call people on the telephone and threaten them with arrest.

Some other useful advice:

• Never provide your identity to a person over the phone who is not known to you.
• Never send money or gift cards to someone you do not know.

Detective Sergeant Paul Turner from the Serious Financial Crime Unit said:

“Scammers like to get gift cards as payment as it’s easy for them to quickly sell them on secondary markets and keep the cash for themselves. If anyone asks for payment using a gift card, it is a scam, it’s that simple.”

Members of the public who receive such calls should hang up immediately and report the matter online at www.cyber.gov.au