More than 100 Illawarra residents have been targeted by a so-called ‘‘hitman scam’’ after receiving death threat text messages on their mobile phones ordering them to pay thousands of dollars.
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The text includes the line: ‘‘Sum1 paid me to kill you. get spared, 48hrs to pay $5000. If you inform the police or anybody, death is promised ... E-mail me now: killerking247yahoo.com.’’
Police in the Illawarra joined officers from across the country yesterday in declaring there was no real threat and the messages should be ignored.
NSW, WA, Victorian, Queensland, South Australian and Tasmanian police issued statements telling recipients not to be alarmed and to delete the text.
Under no circumstances should any money be sent.
Wollongong police said they had received more than 50 calls by lunch time yesterday from concerned residents who had received the text.
And a Lake Illawarra police spokesman, calling for calm, said the station had received at least that volume of calls.
One Illawarra man who received the message on his phone just after 5am yesterday said he was ‘‘extremely rattled’’.
‘‘It was pretty disturbing that’s for sure, to wake up and see that, it’s not a very nice feeling,’’ the 35-year-old who asked not to be named said.
‘‘In that first few seconds you read it, you can’t help but think it’s real, until you rationalise it, it’s quite disturbing.’’
A NSW police spokesman said the origin of the message was under investigation.
‘‘However police do not believe it poses a genuine threat,’’ the spokesman said.
He confirmed there had been a big increase in calls to triple-0 and local stations from people alarmed at receiving the text.
Queensland police said the hoax was commonly referred to as ‘‘the hitman scam’’.
‘‘Do not forward the message on and do not respond in any way to the message,’’ Queensland police said.
‘‘If any member of the public has transferred any money it is vital they contact police and their bank immediately.’’
Victorian senior constable Adam West said investigators believed the message had been generated from an international account.
The message had no credibility, he said.
‘‘A similar scam has been documented at www.scamwatch.gov.au and we suggest that people visit the site for further information,’’ Mr West said.
In South Australia, more than 100 people have contacted police after receiving the message.
