I just got this dodgy Sam dude call asking for my partner. When telling him he was not here and sussing him out I then told him I was (my partner) and he happily told me the exact same amount. I took as much detail after asking him why the hell would the australian government get an overseas company to tell me I have money awaiting .... AND why the hell is the Australian Government paying back overcharges form the banks ... I am just outside the geelong area and will be telling everyone I know not to fall for this .... I will also be passing this information on the the fraud sqaud.

We just got the same call with the same details. He knew which bank we were with and our address. It is a bit scary.

7/12/14 same as all above .... I wrote down all the details gave none of mine ... gave a bank I don't bank with ... refused my birth date didn't see why that was relevant for a refund .... then googled the number and saw all these other posts .... knew it was a scam from start but so sick of this so if we all keep posting and letting others know hopefully one day it will stop and they will get caught

This happened to my mother today, I told her not to do anything as it was a scam.
I rang the number back so that I could speak to Colin Edwards or Gary Smith, when a person with such a strong accent answered that I couldn't understand what he was saying I asked him for his employee identification number & his name, I was told I was rude & he hung up

The wife received a phone call which said to ring Gary Smith or Paul Edwards and quote an ID number they had given her and get a Western Union form from the post office and ring them back quoting cheque number 154215 for $7268 refund from the federal government for over charged bank fees. But first pay them $235 via Western Union before they can send the cheque. They claim they are Indian lawyers working on behalf of the Federal government to collect the money you are owed because they can do it cheaper then Australian lawyers

I rang this number a guy with Indian accent answered. Once I started asking questions he started telling me rude words and hang up. Why is he pissed off with me? Ha ha haaaaa

13/11/2014, I received a call asking me if I'm aware that Australian Government owes me $7,658 and they will send money to me. With the realisation (from sub-continent accent mind you) I acted as if I was excited about the money. He (claimed to be Paul Johnson) gave me this phone number to ring to claim my cheque. I started asking questions he couldn't answer and hang up on me after 10 minutes of wasting his time and my time. I then rang 8003 4171 and to my surprise a guy with sub-continent accent answered, when I started questioning him, he asked mt to shut up and hang up on me.

I got the pleasure of pissing them off instead of them grabbing my details.

A customer of mine was contacted by these guys. They wanted her details but she said send me a cheque instead. In the end she hung up.

My Mum got a call 28/10/14 from a guy saying the Government owes her money and she was to call this number and quote a reference number to claim the check.

Me too, today 28/10

I got a call from this number to day 27/10/2014 i rang the bank also reported as a scam. It a big scam

Same thing happened to my parents - reported to police as a scam. Oct 2014

Resurrection of a scam that was rife 2011-2012. They claim to be from the "Reclaim Department" of the Federal Government and try to get your bank details by offering a direct debit to your bank account of money 'reclaimed' from bank overcharging, or, if that doesn't work, they'll offer you a cheque payment, but it comes with a 'fee' that they will ask you to wire via western union or some other such service.

I had a bit of time on my hands today and have been playing with them by pretending to be a very old, very deaf woman that is very keen to get her money but has a bad phone line and keeps getting cut off. They've asked for my DOB and I've given a false one, years older than my true age and they accepted it with no qualms, so I know they have no personal details of mine. I'd say they got my ph and address from the phone directory and that's all they have, so I'm having fun with a bit of payback.

They keep ringing me back and I get them to repeat everything two or three times due to my deafness, and when they are about to tell me about the 'fee" (I've opted for a chq, lol), my phone myseriously cuts off. I figure the more time they waste on me, the fewer people they can scam, and I like to waste their time lol!

This is a scam that ran in 2011 as well. They tell you that you can reclaim thousands of dollars that banks have overcharged you and give you a choice of either electronic transfer (which requires your bank details) or a chq. If you give them your bank details,...well - we know what will happen and if you opt for a chq then you will be told there is a fee you must pay and they'll try to get you to wire the "fee" via western union or some other outfit.

Looks like they've resurrected this scam again.

I love the way they all have very obvious and often unintelligible Indian, Philipino or SE Asian accents and yet have incredibly Anglo names. You'd think they'd work out that in itself arouses suspicion. If they used names that corresponded to their accents, they'd no doubt reel more people in, so that at least is a positive.

Yes I was told to ring that no and ask for Gary Smyth or Paul Edwards and given a ref no

Has anyone rang this number to see what happens and what details they want

Rude scammer

Scam here too

so a scam eh? I won't be ringing it!

yep scam, bugger