91-year-old woman scammed of more than $10K in Melbourne; cops release suspects' photo, refer to them as of 'Middle-Eastern appearance'

The Victoria Police released photos and details of three suspects who scammed a 91-year-old woman of more than $10K in Melbourne's east last year. Cops said these three men are believed to be of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance.

The elderly woman was contacted by one of them on March 3, 2025. The man told her he was calling from her bank. He gained remote access to the woman's account and transferred $4947. He was about to make further transfers but those got blocked. The nam then claimed that her bank cards were faulty and arranged to collect them from the woman's address. Nothing raised suspicion of the woman.

After the man got the bank cards, the three men made three transactions the same day: a withdrawal of $1,000 from an ATM on Main Street in Box Hill, about 6.40pm; a purchase valued at $4,333 from a retailer on Middleborough Road in Box Hill South, about 7.25pm; a purchase valued at $369.97 from a chemist on Doncaster Road in Doncaster, about 7.45pm.


They were caught in surveillance footage, which the police released seeking assistance in identifying those men. The first man is perceived to be of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, approximately 35 years old with a solid build, olive skin, and dark-coloured hair and beard, the police said.

The second man is perceived to be of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, approximately 25 years old with a slim build, olive skin, medium-length wavy hair and a dark-coloured beard, they said.

The third man is perceived to be of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, approximately 25 years old with a slim build, olive skin, dark-coloured hair and beard, and was wearing glasses, the police said about the third man.

They were traveling at that time in a black Honda Sedan, the police release said.