Blood tests will help officials work out whether Waikouaiti and Karitane residents may be chronically affected by exposure to lead, a public meeting has been told.Hundreds of people packed the East Otago Events Centre hall in Waikouait…

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A trusting 23-year-old woman blames herself for being duped after scammers allegedly fleeced her and others out of more than $90,000.

Helen, from Concord in Sydney, said she felt "fear, shame, regret, anger, frustration" after realising what had happened.

9News was there as accused mastermind Abdullah Khan was hauled out of his Parramatta apartment yesterday.

"I don't want to speak right now, I am too stressed, please," he said during his arrest.

He is accused of scamming seven alleged victims out of $92,500 over two months.

"This is a crime that transcends the age barrier and flows across everyone in our society," Superintendent Gary Coffey from NSW Police said.

In Helen's case, the con began with an automated call warning there was a warrant out for her arrest.

She was told someone was using her tax file number to launder money and traffic drugs.

She said more calls and messages followed, including from the Burwood Police Station phone number.

The hair stylist was told to keep quiet and send her "case officer" $4500 in Amazon gift cards.

"I was very suspicious the whole time but also the fear overtakes you, they were very, very manipulative," she told 9News.

"Every question you ask them, they have an answer for."

The following day Helen was ordered to withdraw $10,000 and hand it to a man at her work in Barangaroo.

A photo lead to the arrest of 19-year-old Ahmad Arshad, who has been charged but is yet to face court.

Abdullah Khan, 20, appeared before a magistrate today, the court hearing he has confessed but claimed he was forced into it by a syndicate in India.

9News has learned about another woman who lost more than $20,000.

The stress of it all triggered a panic attack and she ended up in hospital, where the alleged scammers continued to call and harass her.

"It's a pretty scummy thing to do. These people obviously are fairly intelligent so it's a waste of talent that could be redirected to good things," Helen said.

The Ministry of Education is probing the rehire of a special needs teacher aide whose employment ended shortly after being suspended for racist and discriminatory social media posts. The Northland woman made the posts on Instagram…

The shattered Melbourne family of a pregnant mother killed in a head-on crash in Pakenham South said Tess Clark would have done anything to protect her children.

The 34-year-old mother was driving her two young sons to kindergarten at about 8am yesterday on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road, when they were struck by an out-of-control ute.

The beloved wife, sister and best friend was due to give birth to her unborn son, Asher, in just three weeks' time.

READ MORE: Driver rescued after falling down embankment, flipping against tree

She was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, but here injuries were significant and she could not be saved.

Her other sons, Archer and Hunter, escaped the crash largely unscathed, with husband Shane Clark now caring for them at home.

Mr Clark told 9News he would remember his wife as a "bubbly, loving, energetic [and] strong" person.

https://twitter.com/LanaMurphy/status/1357578091132907520

He also thanked those who ran to his family's aide, including a stranger who rode in the ambulance with his sons to hospital.

In a statement, devastated loved ones said the doting mother always put her family before her own needs.

"[She] absolutely adored her kids, and her kids adored her," they told 9News.

"It doesn't feel real for any of us.

"Devoted, loving mother, who would do anything for her kids.

"She loved her family, they meant everything to her."

Police believe the driver of the white ute suffered a medical episode, veering off the road and side swiping multiple vehicles before crashing head-on into the Clark family.

The driver of ute was flown to hospital with critical injuries.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or with dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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