A New Zealand man has admitted his involvement in an international call centre scam that defrauded an elderly woman of more than $17,000, Stuff reported.
Kanwarpal Singh appeared in the Manukau District Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to one charge of receiving stolen property. His sentencing has been adjourned until October.
According to court documents, the scam began on June 3, 2023, when a Palmerston North woman in her 80s received a call from someone claiming to represent Apple. Over the course of three conversations, she was persuaded to download software that enabled money to be transferred from her bank account. Two unauthorised payments, totalling $17,450, were subsequently made, reported Stuff.
As reported to Stuff, Of that sum, $9950 was deposited into Singh’s Kiwibank account. That evening, he withdrew $4000 in cash from an ATM at a Māngere supermarket, followed by two further withdrawals of $500 each. He later transferred more than $4000 to a Wise account and used approximately $900 to purchase cryptocurrency. By the time Kiwibank froze his account, only $23.10 remained.
When questioned by police, Singh denied knowing the source of the funds.
The victim said she had been attempting to contact Apple when the scammer called, describing it as a “terrible coincidence.” She urged others to remain cautious of unsolicited calls.
“You’ve got to be awake,” she said. “I just hope he doesn’t get off scot free and that he learns his lesson,” as quoted by Stuff.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton of Auckland’s Financial Crime Unit said such scams frequently target elderly people.
“Offenders often convince victims to allow remote access to their computers, which then enables them to access online banking,” he said. “It is a reminder that vigilance is essential, as these offenders are constantly looking for opportunities to exploit others,” Stuff reported.
Singh will be sentenced in October.
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