Online charity scam targets Gosnells woman

[Wayne]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-09/w ... section=wa

Consumer Protection is urging people to make sure they only send money to legitimate charities after a 50-year-old woman was conned by online scammers.

Gosnells woman Tracey says she lost a total of $15,000 in the scam.

She was contacted by a man on the internet earlier this year who claimed he was a sergeant serving in Afghanistan.

They spent months chatting and she was persuaded to send money to what she thought was the United Nations.

She was also contacted by another party requesting money to help sponsor a child in Ghana.

"You know, I was trying to do something good by somebody and help people out and all of the sudden I've been slapped in face with a cold wet fish," she said.

"If ever anybody asks you for money do not send any, do not even consider it, no matter how good the story is."

The Department of Commerce's Laine Chopping says people need to be wary when sending money overseas.

"Charity scams have been a problem in WA in the past but sponsor a child is not one we see regularly," she said.

"Check our scamnet website before they ever consider sending money to anybody."

Ms Chopping says people should avoid using wire transfer services, if possible.