Gold Coast Scams: Scammers steal $5million from elderly Gold Coast residents

Elderly Gold Coast residents were scammed out of millions of dollars in 2023. SEE THE 15 WORST-HIT SUBURBS

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March 29, 2024 - 5:00PM

Gold Coast Bulletin

Gold Coast

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Elderly Gold Coasters were scammed out of millions of dollars last year, with three postcodes – Surfers, Southport and Nerang-Carrara – copping it the worst.

The state government has urged senior residents to beware of scams following a record year for thieves, scoring nearly $5 million off Gold Coasters.

More than 1300 reports of scams were made by Gold Coast seniors last year, with the biggest losses recorded in Surfers Paradise and Southport.

Unsuspecting Gold Coast residents lost a total of $4,814,489 to the thieves, according to Scamwatch data, while Queensland wide $93m was lost.

Those over the age of 65 have reported the largest scam losses compared to any other age group.

The 4217 postcode of Surfers Paradise and Main Beach was the most lucrative for scammers on the Gold Coast, racking up $1,216,603.

The take from the 4215 postcode, of Southport and Labrador, was $1,017,164, and 4211, with Nerang and Carrara was $1,011,249.

The 4210 post code of Oxenford lost $751,155 to scammers.

Queensland’s minister for housing and local MP for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon called the scammers “heartless”.

“It’s so sad to hear people in our community, and the city I grew up in fall victim to heartless scammers,” Ms Scanlon said.

“We have a large population of seniors on the Gold Coast and we need to make sure they are armed with the information to stop being scammed in the first instance.”