Fraudsters are using artificial intelligence to phone victims and pretend they’re doctors, fleecing them of thousands of dollars.
The fake doctor scam, which is operating across the state, is particularly targeting the Mandarin-speaking community.
The scam has seen victims lose significant sums of money after speaking to callers who pretend to be doctors, general practitioners or surgeons.
The caller uses the victims name to appear credible before instructing the victim to purchase gift cards and provide the gift cards code to them via text message.
The caller then uses the details of the gift card to obtain the money.
The use of artificial intelligence voice cloning by the caller has been featured in several reports to police.
Victoria Police first received reports of the scam in early September, with the scammers predominantly targeting persons of Chinese background that speak Mandarin.
Since then, there have already been 10 reports of this scam to police.
Two recent reports saw one victim suffer a financial loss of $50,000 and another for $40,000.
In one of the reports the scammer called a victim and mimicked the voice of a professional known to them. The scammer claimed they were calling from a secondary phone number and pressured the victim into purchasing gift cards, saying they were intended as business gifts. The victim purchased $50,000 in gift cards across a three-day period before becoming suspicious. The victim then called the professional’s original, verified phone number which revealed they had never made contact and exposed the situation as a scam.
The other report saw the scammer pose as a medical professional and call the victim to exploit their urgent health conditions. The scammer instructed the victim to purchase gift cards, scratch off the PIN codes, and message photos of the codes back to the scammer. The victim was repeatedly pressured into buying more cards until their cash flow was entirely depleted, resulting in a financial loss of $40,000.
The Cybercrime Squad urge the Mandarin-speaking community to remain vigilant and to make a report if they have fallen victim to this scam.
There are a number of steps the Mandarin-speaking community can take to protect themselves.
If you receive a call by someone in these circumstances or who you believe to be a scammer:
- Do not continue any conversations that you suspect are scams
- Never provide gift card codes or financial information over the phone
- Be cautious of unexpected calls claiming to be from trusted professionals
- Hang up and independently contact the clinic or organisation using a verified phone number
- Do not reveal any personal information such as your address, bank accounts or other contact details
If you are unsure:
- Report any suspicious scam or behaviour to Victoria Police and ReportCyber
- Speak with friends and family, especially older relatives, about the scam for support and guidance
To help with the investigation, police encourage the community to keep records of the conversations by retaining phone call records and taking screen shots of any messages.
Anyone who believes they are in danger and needs immediate police assistance should call Triple Zero (000).
More information and advice about this scam can be found online by visiting the Scamwatch website.
If you have any other information about this scam and wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential online report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
The police warning coincides with Cyber Security Awareness Month which is held in October every year to raise awareness about online safety and how people can protect themselves from scams.
Quotes attributable to Cybercrime Squad Detective Acting Inspector Eleanor Vallas:
“We have seen victims lose thousands of dollars as a result of this scam.
“Fraudsters are using artificial intelligence to phone victims and pretend they’re doctors, general practitioners or surgeons. They then instruct the victims into purchasing gift cards and provide them with the codes so they can obtain the money.
“We take this scam extremely seriously and want victims to know that there are no barriers in reporting these matters – we can and will help you.
“If you are contacted by anyone claiming to be a doctor, general practitioner or surgeon that instructs you to purchase gift cards, do not comply with their demands.
“Never also transfer money or provide personal details to anyone who requests it over the phone unless you made the call yourself.
“If you are unsure, then talk it over with someone you trust, or the police, before taking any action.
“If you are victim of this crime we encourage you to make a report. By reporting these crimes to police, you are also helping us form intelligence to investigate, catch those responsible and prevent this from happening to others in future.”
