I work in a Department where I receive reports of these type of calls on an almost daily basis. There are a multitude of obvious warning signs to look out for if these people call you.
1. Probably the most obvious one, the Federal Government does not make 'cold calls'.
2. From all the reports I've seen/heard, they all claim to be from the 'Federal Government/Reclaim Department'. There is no such department in the Australian Government. Also, if a member of the Government was to actually make a phone call to the general public, they would state the specific department they are from, not just the 'Federal Government'.
3. Most reports seem to be of apparently being entitled to money from either tax or being overcharged on bank fees. If either case were genuine, the ATO or your bank would be the ones who would contact you. Not some person claiming to be from the government.
4. Not to sound like a racist, but there aren't many people in the Federal Government that I've encountered who have an accent other than Australian or European/British.
5. Their general attitude. No (reasonable) representative from the government is going to snap at you for asking too many questions or for 'wasting their time'. In fact, the most honest thing that these scammers are going to say is that you are wasting their time because they could be using that time to try and con another person.

These practices are unfortunately all too common these days, and are obviously illegal. The scammers can quite easily find names, numbers and addresses online, and they use this info to try and appear genuine. I am unsure of how much damage they can do when they get your DOB, but I don't believe there is much. If they have gotten some personal information from you, no matter how insignificant it might seem, and you are particularly worried, you may benefit from contacting your bank to alert them to the fact that you have been targeted, and ask them to alert you to any unauthorised attempts at access. Also, if the information they got from you has any relation whatsoever to ANY passwords/PIN numbers you use, get those changed ASAP.

There are various avenues that these calls can be reported to. But there are 2 that are best suited to deal with it. As someone has already stated, the 'Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network'. (ACORN) is a government department specifically designed to combat these types of scams. It is comprised of departments from various State and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies. The other avenue most suited is the SCAMwatch department of the ACCC. Their contact details are below.

ACORN - http://www.acorn.gov.au/
(ACORN will only accept reports via online)

SCAMwatch - http://www.scamwatch.gov.au
- 1300 795 995

*If the scammers have gotten details from you relating to tax, especially your Tax File Number, get in touch with the ATO immediateley to report it.

Obviously there are already multiple reports of this scam in particular, but don't hesitate to add yours to the list. Doing so can help give an indication if the scammers are still attempting to use that method.

I hope this information helps some people to not fall victim to these parasites!

Regards

J

I've had this call before from the "Reclaim Department". Today they said the "Finance Department" so they have learnt something. I was wondering where their profit is so I let him go on for a while, but apparently if I had called the number they would have got my dob and asked me for money for the government's legal fees - you have to be kidding! They had my address but I'm in the phone book so that's no challenge.

My mother has just had a phone call frome these same people telling her she had $7258 owing to her. She was to call back and ask for Anglina Cooper. She was to pay $255 by Western Union.

18/05/15 - got this call today from Jerry Martin - same as above - same $7258 - gave a false DOB about 30 years out ! He said that is correct !!! And proceed to call angelina cooper or Norma smith - when I asked if they would have Indian accents as well he didn't get it and told me 'is Ok' when I spelt my name As seargeant Gary and told him I was a police officer he still didn't get it - rang the next number and advised them
We were tracking their calls through the embassy and when caught they will be banned from ever getting a
Visa in the future they hung up and now have blacklisted my number - hopefully they won't ring again !! Haha lol

Phoned multiple times, introduced herself as 'Shirley from Techsupport' calling regarding a problem with my computer. I asked to be removed from their call list or I would contact the police, she was quick to let me go then.

Angeline Cooper and Co seems to be targeting elderly pensioners and possibly certain ethnic groups with their tax scams. They are targeting the venerable members of our community and must be neutralized through education. Advise the older (and maybe more trusting) members of your family never to give anyone personal and/or bank information on the phone. Better still - JUST HANG UP. In this particular case the caller had an Indian accent (with an "English" name) and targeted Indian pensioners. These scammers must be having some successes as they have be operating for a few years - the most effective strategy to beat them is through education and it is our individual responsibility to provide this - so start with your family and friends and in time these scammers will disappear

Had a call this evening from a lovely chap.... He had an nice foreign accent...the number was same ending in 0000 though not 0501. Clearly the line was voip and there was a delay in speech. I was told to call an Angelina on the 0502 (not 0501) extension and quote "4454" that was my case ID and the federal police are waiting to get their end of year book in order. They then told me the line is very busy so if I could hand over my mobile number and surname to verify. Anyway I gave them some random taxi drivers mobile number that bothered me the other week... Oh id love to be a fly on the wall...

Got phone call from Veronica saying she was from Australian Federal Govt Finance Dept. I had money owing to me from overpayment of bank fees over years. They needed no Identification other than DOB. To call her manager Max Lewis (02) 8006 7205 to verify with a application code NS14. Other supervisors name was Norma street. ..... SCAM!!!!!!!!!! I told them I didn't trust the call.

Well this scam is still going, just had phone call, told me I was entitled to $6235, amount has gone done a bit.. gave me my reference number and a phone number for their department manager (02) 8006 7711 Angelina Cooper,

An obvious scam.
They said I had money waiting from a gov. reclaim. I played along and shortly requested my credit card number in form of payment transaction. I gave them a fake credit card number and then they gave me a phone number to call back in order to confirm my details. Every detail I gave out were fake and they were easily fooled by it.

I ended up calling the number using a fake caller ID and claimed they were currently busy with their calls. They said they'd call me back (obviously they can't since I used a different called ID) so I gave them one of my local 7/11 store numbers.

My father received a call like this today. New name John Douglas, or Carl Hooper. Phone number: (02) 8006 0501. They had his name, address and date of birth, and wanted to post a cheque if we rang back and confirmed our bank branch etc.
Be careful!

Got a call from fed gov - 7,000 or so dollars owed to me because of bank fees overpaid - have them a PO box and dob before I realised it was not the dept I thought- they had my address - I guess from phone book. ? I called my bank but cdnt get thru called spatchcock another mechanical
Loop - irony is that the only human I dealt with in all of this was the spammer

Angelina Cooper only offered me $7268 which is less than some others. I have reported this to the Aust federal police and I suggest you all do the same The link is
https://report.acorn.gov.au/

Got the call today . So obviously a scam Beware everyone,if it sounds too good to be true.........

My Mum (with Alzheimers) had same call, could not remember if she gave them any details and couldn't even recall what the $235 was for (reading this thread helped me piece it together), very distressed and quite agitated by it all.
I phoned the number (02) 8091 3550, spoke to Alice Wilson, asked her where she was working. Told me "the Australian federal Govt - that was the number you called". I asked innocently REALLY? and she hung up on me.

I have a new number. Call John Douglas or Keith Rankin on (02) 8006 8345.
(i wonder what their success rate is?)

I received this call on 12/05/15 and a lady saying that calling from Australian Finance dept , i am entitled to receive $7268 b coz bank had been charged more money from my account and call back (02) 8006 0501 and contact angelina cooper or norma . I try to call from different phone said connecting line then hung up

My mother received this call by a lady on the phone saying she was entitled to $7268 because she had been paying to much tax she was told to contact a angelina cooper and a max Lewis she gave them her bank details and all so when they rang back I got on the phone I new it was a scam because I told them that my father works for the afp and they then started to speak a different language by then I new it was a scam so I went to the post office grabed all there details down we sent no money to them they gave me some phoney address when I searched it up it was a temple in Bangkok they later rang back and when I said I had reported them they hung up

Same happened to my mother. She was given the names John Douglas and Keith Rankin from the ATO, and Angelina Cooper/Max Lewis from the Federal Government. Told to pay $250 legal fees at the post office. She reported the call to the police.

Just received the same call & a refund for$7268. How is this legal. Told to deposit $235 before my refund would be delivered . What a joke!