Telco Fraud Love Scam
When Sally* fell in love, she did not expect her boyfriend to steal her heart and her money.
Falling victim to a con, the relationship led to a telco fraud ‘love scam’, in which her partner amassed thousands of dollars of debt on unauthorised mobile phone plans and calls that the 58-year-old grandmother was left responsible for and could not pay back.
Sally had authorised a boyfriend to open one service on her mobile account. But instead of setting up the service, he opened four accounts and she did not realise until she received the bill.
Sally was in severe financial distress, facing multiple debts due to the scam, when she sought assistance from a Vinnies WA financial counsellor, who helped negotiate a reduction of the outstanding bill and a payment plan for the remaining amount.
This assistance was invaluable in helping Sally to work her way out of considerable financial stress and move toward greater financial stability.
Vinnies WA offers independent advice and advocacy for people in financial difficulty. Counsellors work with clients to achieve positive financial outcomes, negotiate with third parties, build capacity to avert financial crisis and reduce stress.
*Name has been changed to protect identity.