Police have asked for increased community involvement to help curb scams specifically targeting older people. They hope sharing the following incidents will generate conversations between seniors, their friends and their family to avoid others experiencing similar scams.
On Friday, 4 April 2025, an elderly man from Cromer received an email purporting to be from PayPal seeking clarification on a fraudulent transaction. The gentleman was given instructions to close his PayPal account and, while following the instructions, the offenders obtained his personal details.
Soon after the incident, the man found over $1,600 in unauthorised transactions in Indonesia. His bank and the police are investigating; however, the overseas transactions will hamper the recovery of money, according to the police.
Later in the week, on Monday, 7 April 2025, an elderly woman from Beacon Hill received a call from a man pretending to be from the Australian Federal Police.
The offender convinced the victim to withdraw $6,000 cash, and he instructed where to send the money. The victim posted the cash to an address in South West Sydney. Police explained it’s highly unlikely the money will be refunded to the victim by her bank.
Police added that this is a prime example of offenders applying high-pressure tactics to trick vulnerable people into handing over their money. According to police, there are strong lines of inquiry and they’re investigating.
Facebook Marketplace car scam leads to $10,000 loss
On Wednesday, 9 April 2025, a man from Frenchs Forest negotiated the purchase of a car he found on Facebook Marketplace.
He paid a deposit, and the seller sought additional funds to arrange for the delivery of the car.
The seller provided false material and enticed the buyer to transfer the full $10,000.
The car was not delivered, and the buyer’s money is still outstanding. Police are investigating.
Police explained a buyer often takes a greater risk than a seller when making online purchases. They recommend buyers protect themselves by using an escrow account to pay for goods online.
Man arrested for filming people in public toilets
On Thursday, 10 April 2025, police were called to the toilets at Abbott Rd, North Curl Curl in relation to a man filming another man in a cubicle.
We understand it was the facilities near Reub Hudson oval.
Police stopped a 55-year-old man at the toilets and searched his phone. They found what they referred to as “intimate images of people inside cubicles.”
He was arrested and taken to Manly Police Station.
He was charged with ‘Observe person in private act without consent’, ‘Behave in an offensive manner’, and ‘Film person in private act without consent’.
The accused was granted conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court on 21 May 2025.
Crime Watch Northern Beaches is a weekly wrap up of local crimes and incidents from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command. If you saw or can help with any of the below incidents, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or here. All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. You can also contact Dee Why Police Station 9971 3399.
