IT'S unconventional but it just might work - New South Wales Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts has urged consumers to hit back against a new breed of sophisticated scammers by bombarding their call centre out of business.

After revealing the number of scam reports has doubled in 2011 compared to last year, Mr Roberts said it was time to fight fire with fire.

Mr Roberts' primary target is an operation which poses as a division of the Federal or State government, promising to refund thousands of dollars in over-charged bank fees - but only after the target transfers a sum via Western Union.

Mr Roberts said the scammers were based overseas and appeared to be using cheap labour to personalise and expand their operations.

"I want NSW consumers to melt their call centre down,'' Mr Roberts told The Telegraph today, after he had rung the call centre himself and frustrated one of their operatives for 15 minutes.



"I want people to waste their time.''

Mr Roberts said the call centre number was 02 8006 9220. He advised using a false name and quoting the reference number RS990.

NSW Fair Trading was working with Skype to have the number disconnected as soon as possible.

