Nambour police number used in elaborate scheme

A Sunshine Coast police station number is being used to scam residents in an elaborate impersonation scheme.

Nambour police are warning residents about a scam using a police phone number.

A Sunshine Coast police station has been caught up in an elaborate phone impersonation scam.

The Nambour police phone number has been used in a scheme allegedly extorting residents into paying an outstanding fine or fee.

The phone call appears to be coming from a police number in a practice known as caller ID spoofing.

The caller then impersonates a government department.

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They advise the victim that they have an outstanding fine or fee with them.

Nambour police officer-in-charge Gary Brayley said reports had been made recently regarding calls from what appeared to be the Nambour station.

"It's being used as a point of contact for persons who are receiving information via other telephone calls or text messages indicating that they're in some sort of trouble with the Australian Taxation Office and that they should contact the police on the number provided," he said.

"It may even be the case that they hit one to reply and that phone number is actually directed to the Nambour Police Station.

"It sort of validates to some extent the initial call or information they've received.

"So it's not until they talk to us that they realised that it's a scam."

Senior Sergeant Gary Brayley is urged residents to be aware of a new phone scam doing the rounds.

It's understood the scam has been doing the rounds for some time, however it has escalated with the criminal impersonating an officer to legitimise the scam.

The caller then threatens the victim with arrest or states they will start legal action before demanding a form of payment.

"These people are obviously clever," Sen-Sgt Brayley said.

"I don't have the technical knowledge to even understand how they do it or where they're operating from.

"But the advice is to people to be aware of this type of call."

Sen-Sgt Brayley said it was important people made themselves aware of the various scams.

"There's plenty of information on the internet about that," he said.

"If they've got any concerns at all about the authenticity of the call, hang up and ring direct the person or the office that suspect person claims to work for."

Scams can be reported to ReportCyber.

For more information about scams head to the Scamwatch website.

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