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Health service providers target of email scam

emergency_signA business scam that has previously focussed on accommodation providers and the motor vehicle industry in WA is now targeting health service providers.

The scammers pretend to be hearing impaired or to have another disability that prevents them from communicating via phone to ask for the service. Sometimes the scammers will engage the National Relay Service to communicate the message for them and give a sense of authenticity to the request. Other times they will simply use email.

They will use a (stolen) credit card, ask to overpay for some reason and then want the business to send the ‘extra’ money somewhere by wire transfer.

Recent examples

  • A shiatsu masseur received an email request for a booking for 10 disabled people. The total cost of the services was $1,188 but instead $2,838 was paid. The business was asked to pay the extra $1,650 via Western Union to ‘the driver of the clients’ to cover his fee.

  • A health massage business owner received an email enquiry about booking 10 people in for a massage at a cost of $1,200. She was then asked to process a payment of $2,450, take $700 as a deposit for her business and send $1750 to the driver of the clients via Western Union. She has accepted the initial payment but did not pay any money via Western Union. Because the credit card used is stolen the bank will disallow the payment made to the business.

  • A massage/acupuncture business got an email supposedly from a hearing impaired person who wanted to book in 10 family members for "dad's 70th". They realised it was suspicious and called WA ScamNet.

In addition to these reports, a mechanic in Welshpool was recently asked to fix a Holden vehicle for a hearing impaired consumer (really it was a fraudster). They offered to pay by credit card (most likely stolen details) and wanted to overpay by $1750 and have the extra money sent by the repairer via Western Union to pay for 'the car to be towed from Queensland' (simply a lie to get the money wire transferred). 

This mirrors the tactics described in a previous warning to motor vehicle repairers.

There has also been an ‘overpayment scam’ warning for accommodation providers.

Businesses or consumers wishing to seek advice about suspected scams or to report losing money to a fraud should call WA ScamNet on 1300 30 40 54 or email wascamnet@commerce.wa.gov.au

Watch the video ‘Preventing financial loss to business scams’: