A scam fundraiser has added the grief of a Canberra man's family that lost three generations in 30 hours, as fires stormed through the NSW South Coast this week.
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Dean Hancock is grieving the loss of his father-in-law, Robert Salway, 63, and brother-in-law Patrick, 29, who died at their Wandella property after the Badja Forest Road fire swept through their farm on Monday.
Just over a day later on Wednesday, Robert's mother, Edna Salway, died at the age of 94, never knowing her son and grandson had died before her.
Adding to the family's misery and grief, a scammer started a crowdfunding page in the name of one of Patrick's nieces, Megan, allegedly to raise funds for the bereft family.
Mr Hancock said Megan had gone into town for supplies and started getting messages about the fake fundraiser.
"She was totally distraught," Mr Hancock said.
"I've reported it to the Bega police and the Australian Federal Police."
After the scam was shut down, family friends set up a genuine page.
Mr Hancock, who lives in Canberra with his wife Kellie-Anne and their three young children, said the fact the fires hit the family farm was a huge shock.
"Where it all took place - it shouldn't have happened because there are no trees there. It just came across the paddocks," he said.
"Robert and Patrick were ploughing to try and get rid of all the grass before they left. The car was packed, the dogs were in the car ready to go, and they were finishing up there, and it came out of nowhere.
"It was very quick, very, very quick. It would have been very fast.
"On the day it happened I was the contact between the police because they couldn't get onto anyone there.
"I rang the police in Bega to get confirmation - we just got broken messages for a couple of hours - and then I rang police to confirm if it was true and was unknowingly reporting their deaths."
Mr Hancock said his mother-in-law was "not good at all" and was with her family.
"They are cut off. It's pretty bad communication still. We were speaking to Kellie-Anne's mum last night and about half an hour ago but we only get two, three minutes before it cuts out.
"There were no fires there last night but they're expecting worse conditions on Saturday, although there's not much to burn."
Mr Hancock said had a message for the people in the region.
"If you don't need to be there, get out of there and let them have the roads and stop using fuel and getting in the way. Especially sightseers.
"These warnings have been out for weeks about not going down there."