Australia: Fake Police Pilfer Tourists’ Bank Accounts

No Comments | September 26th, 2007 | Trackback

Men posing as police in the Sydney district of The Rocks swindled tourists out of thousands of dollars by persuading them to hand over their passports and credit cards for scanning. The victims keyed in their PINs when instructed and later discovered that money had been withdrawn from their bank accounts. Police advise all visitors approached by apparent police officers to demand to know their name, rank and the station they are from and to see their badge and ID card before cooperating. Under no circumstances should any police officer demand to skim your credit card or bank card on the street. The victims in at least eight incidents have been Japanese tourists. The Rocks is the district where the first British settlement in Sydney was established and lies between the Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House in the historic old town.