[LINK] Westpac Paralympic Scam

[Tom Worthington]

I have received two messages claiming to be from Westpac bank and asking 
for money for the Australian Paralympic Team. While I am used to receiving 
scam messages claiming to be from banks, I can't see how this one works. It 
seems to contain a copy of the genuine Westpac Paralympic page at 
<http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WIWC+Paralympic+fundraising>. 
The links, phone numbers and bank deposit numbers do not appear to have 
been tampered with, so how does the scam work?

>From: <info at westpac.com.au>
>Subject: The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC)
>
>  Olympics and paralympics
>    Australian Paralympic Team - Athens 2004
>
>
>The 12th Paralympic Games will be held from 17 to 28 September, 2004 in 
>Athens and will involve more than 4000 athletes representing 146 
>countries. At these games, Australia will be attempting to defend its 
>title as the world's greatest Paralympic nation – a title it received 
>after finishing number one on the medal tally at the Sydney Paralympic Games.
>
>The Paralympic Games is the second largest world gathering of athletes, 
>after the Olympic Games. The Australian Paralympic Team will compete in 12 
>of the possible 19 sports, including athletics, swimming, cycling, 
>equestrian, judo, wheelchair basketball (men and women), archery, 
>powerlifting, sailing, rugby, shooting and tennis.
>
>Our team will consist of approximately 160 athletes and 90 staff including 
>medicos, coaches and administrators. The Australian Paralympic Committee 
>(APC), a registered charity, is responsible for financing our team for 
>Athens. (It will cost almost $10,000 per person.) To do this we will need 
>to raise $2 million.
>
>Without sufficient funds, the team size to Athens will be reduced.
>
>Whilst the Government provides funds so our athletes can train at an elite 
>level, the costs of sending the team to the Paralympic Games is met by 
>corporate and community support.
>
>How can you make a donation and help the Australian Paralympic team reach 
>Athens?
>    * At a branch - visit any Westpac, Bank of Melbourne or Challenge Bank 
> branch. Account name : Australian Paralympic Committee BSB: 032 001 
> Account number: 105 484
>    * Online - visit the Australian Paralympic Committee's 
> <http://www.paralympic.org.au
>online credit card donations facility.
>    * Phone - call 1300 797 781 and donate using your credit card.
>Together we can work hard to send a full strength team to Athens 2004.
>
>Westpac also supports Paralympic athletes through the 
><http://www.westpac.com.au
          >Paralympic Employment Program.
>
>Westpac Australia's First Bank




Tom Worthington FACS tom.worthington at tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150
Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd ABN: 17 088 714 309
http://www.tomw.net.au PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617
Visiting Fellow, Computer Science, Australian National University
Publications Director, Australian Computer Society