‘It can happen to anyone’: Woman loses $39,000 within minutes in sophisticated scam
- Replies 20
Scams are becoming more sophisticated every day, preying on trust and exploiting technology to deceive even the most vigilant.
It’s a reality that many don’t think will happen to them until it’s too late.
The following story is a stark reminder of how easily trust can be manipulated and what you need to know to protect yourself.
A 38-year-old IT professional, had been saving up for a house purchase, all while preparing for her upcoming wedding. In July 2022, a phone call while she was walking her dog would change everything.
‘It can happen to anyone, that’s my whole takeaway. It’s about that given day, that given moment, what mindset you’re in,’ she said.
The scammers used an advanced spoofing technique that made their call appear to come from National Australia Bank’s (NAB) legitimate customer service number.
They kept her on the line for over an hour, and Janice*, who had recently dealt with a compromised debit card, was convinced that the call was real.
To make matters worse, the phone number they called from matched the one on the back of her NAB credit card.
She received a text message during the call that seemed to come from NAB, complete with fake reference numbers. Both the phone call and the text were part of the scammers’ elaborate setup.
Trusting that the call was genuine, she followed their instructions.
With $65,000 in her account, ready for her house deposit, she made three transfers, totalling $39,000, to what she now knows was a cryptocurrency account controlled by the scammers.
‘Looking back, I know I was coaxed into verifying a cryptocurrency account the scammers used to instantly transfer my money and spirit it away, never to be seen again,’ she recounted.
The scammers had a slight accent, and she recalls their reassurance as they advised her to move her money to a 'hidden account' to keep it safe.
The only reason her entire balance wasn’t wiped out was because her account had a $40,000 daily transfer limit.
After the call ended, she quickly realised something was amiss and called the real NAB, where she was left on hold for two hours before managing to speak to someone.
By then, it was too late—the funds had already been transferred via an instant OSKO payment.
‘A brief holding period could have prevented the loss of my life savings,’ Janice* said. ‘It took almost a month for me to be able to leave the house. I couldn’t talk to anyone without crying.’
NAB later confirmed that they were unable to recover any of the stolen funds. Frustrated and seeking justice, Janice brought her case to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
While AFCA ordered NAB to pay her $1,000 in compensation, it was not for the bank’s failure to stop the transfers but because they had delayed updating her on the status of their investigation.
Two years on, she is still haunted by scam calls. Just a few months ago, she received a call from a fraudster pretending to work for Telstra.
‘I recognised the same voice,’ she said, describing how it was the same scammer who had robbed her of her life savings. ‘It gave me shivers.’
While NAB has declined to comment on Janice’s* case specifically, they have stated they are collaborating with telecommunication companies to combat phone spoofing and impersonation scams.
The Treasury Department reported that Australians lost $2.74 billion to scams last year, highlighting the urgent need for vigilance in the face of increasingly sophisticated fraud techniques.
This heartbreaking story is just one example of the scams targeting older Australians.
In a similar case, a 94-year-old man from Mount Waverley lost nearly $10,000 after being deceived by a scammer posing as a telecommunications company representative.
How did this happen? Read the story here.
Scams can happen to anyone, and awareness is the first step in protecting yourself. Have you ever experienced a scam or close call? What steps do you take to ensure your safety online? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments – your story could help others stay alert.
Keep yourself informed and safe from the latest scams with the SDC’s Cybersecurity for Aussies over 60 modules. Read more here.
*Name is changed for privacy reasons
It’s a reality that many don’t think will happen to them until it’s too late.
The following story is a stark reminder of how easily trust can be manipulated and what you need to know to protect yourself.
A 38-year-old IT professional, had been saving up for a house purchase, all while preparing for her upcoming wedding. In July 2022, a phone call while she was walking her dog would change everything.
‘It can happen to anyone, that’s my whole takeaway. It’s about that given day, that given moment, what mindset you’re in,’ she said.
The scammers used an advanced spoofing technique that made their call appear to come from National Australia Bank’s (NAB) legitimate customer service number.
They kept her on the line for over an hour, and Janice*, who had recently dealt with a compromised debit card, was convinced that the call was real.
To make matters worse, the phone number they called from matched the one on the back of her NAB credit card.
She received a text message during the call that seemed to come from NAB, complete with fake reference numbers. Both the phone call and the text were part of the scammers’ elaborate setup.
Trusting that the call was genuine, she followed their instructions.
With $65,000 in her account, ready for her house deposit, she made three transfers, totalling $39,000, to what she now knows was a cryptocurrency account controlled by the scammers.
‘Looking back, I know I was coaxed into verifying a cryptocurrency account the scammers used to instantly transfer my money and spirit it away, never to be seen again,’ she recounted.
The scammers had a slight accent, and she recalls their reassurance as they advised her to move her money to a 'hidden account' to keep it safe.
The only reason her entire balance wasn’t wiped out was because her account had a $40,000 daily transfer limit.
After the call ended, she quickly realised something was amiss and called the real NAB, where she was left on hold for two hours before managing to speak to someone.
By then, it was too late—the funds had already been transferred via an instant OSKO payment.
‘A brief holding period could have prevented the loss of my life savings,’ Janice* said. ‘It took almost a month for me to be able to leave the house. I couldn’t talk to anyone without crying.’
NAB later confirmed that they were unable to recover any of the stolen funds. Frustrated and seeking justice, Janice brought her case to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
While AFCA ordered NAB to pay her $1,000 in compensation, it was not for the bank’s failure to stop the transfers but because they had delayed updating her on the status of their investigation.
Two years on, she is still haunted by scam calls. Just a few months ago, she received a call from a fraudster pretending to work for Telstra.
‘I recognised the same voice,’ she said, describing how it was the same scammer who had robbed her of her life savings. ‘It gave me shivers.’
While NAB has declined to comment on Janice’s* case specifically, they have stated they are collaborating with telecommunication companies to combat phone spoofing and impersonation scams.
The Treasury Department reported that Australians lost $2.74 billion to scams last year, highlighting the urgent need for vigilance in the face of increasingly sophisticated fraud techniques.
This heartbreaking story is just one example of the scams targeting older Australians.
In a similar case, a 94-year-old man from Mount Waverley lost nearly $10,000 after being deceived by a scammer posing as a telecommunications company representative.
How did this happen? Read the story here.
Scams can happen to anyone, and awareness is the first step in protecting yourself. Have you ever experienced a scam or close call? What steps do you take to ensure your safety online? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments – your story could help others stay alert.
Keep yourself informed and safe from the latest scams with the SDC’s Cybersecurity for Aussies over 60 modules. Read more here.
*Name is changed for privacy reasons
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