An 81-year-old woman from Elanora Heights has become the latest scam victim in a series of incidents targeting Northern Beaches residents through remote access software.
On February 7, 2025, the elderly Elanora Heights resident received an unsolicited phone call from a scammer claiming to represent Telstra. The caller offered to “fix” supposed internet issues and convinced the woman to download AnyDesk, a legitimate remote access software. Once installed, the software allowed the scammer to gain unauthorised access to her device, resulting in approximately $20,000 being withdrawn from her account.
This Elanora Heights incident occurred just days before another Northern Beaches resident, an 82-year-old man from Davidson, lost the same amount in a similar scam. On February 11, he received an email purportedly from PayPal questioning a transaction and was instructed to download AnyDesk to address the issue, leading to an identical $20,000 theft.
Local police have confirmed investigations are underway into both cases. Authorities haven’t yet determined if the stolen funds were transferred overseas, which could complicate recovery efforts.
Police Warning to Residents
Northern Beaches Police are urging community members—particularly older residents—to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited calls or emails requesting remote access to their devices.
“Never give anyone you don’t know access to your devices,” authorities advise. “And never share online banking login details or passwords with anyone.”
How to Protect Yourself
AnyDesk itself offers these guidelines to avoid becoming a victim:
- Be suspicious of unexpected calls claiming to be from known companies like Microsoft, Telstra, or financial institutions
- Remember that legitimate organisations will never call you unexpectedly and ask you to download software
- If you feel uncomfortable during any interaction, hang up immediately
- If someone remotely connected to your device asks you to log into financial accounts, they are likely a scammer
- End suspicious remote sessions by turning off your device
What to Do If Scammed
Those who believe they’ve fallen victim to such scams should:
- Immediately report the incident to financial institutions
- Change passwords on potentially compromised accounts
- Have devices checked by trusted IT specialists
- Report the scam to local authorities
As cybercriminals continue to target vulnerable community members, heightened vigilance is essential, particularly in areas like Elanora Heights where residents have already been victimised.
Published 18-February-2025
