WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
Bill Watts was still perplexed today after sending hundreds of dollars of ITunes gift cards to a strange address in order to clear his debt with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
The 72 year old retiree from Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast said he rushed straight down to the shops to purchase the gift cards after a stern phone call.
“Mate a fella rang me up from the Taxation Office and told me that I would be going to jail if I didn’t clear my debts,” he said.
“He said that there was an arrest warrant issued for me and it would be exercised unless I sent them the cards.”
Despite the fact Watts “wasn’t born yesterday” he said he thought the call was legitimate.
It can be revealed by the Advocate however that Watts was targeted by a very unsophisticated scam.
The scammers cold call home phone numbers and demand that debts to the ATO are to be paid immediately.
Whilst most people under the age of 40 are deeply suspicious of an unsolicited call from a government body threatening serious repercussions, unfortunately those in the older generation fall prey to the scam.
Watts daughter Susan said she feels terrible that her old man got done; “Ah god. Poor old dad. I almost don’t want to tell him. He will be bloody ropable. He is sure to launch a few racist tirades over the next few months. God.”
