Being scammed is terrible enough; no one should have to endure it, least of all 83-year-old Angela Fitzwater, who had not one but two cases of fraud victimise her this year, collectively robbing her of $26,000.

But as bad as that financial loss was, it pales compared to the distress caused by the response from her bank, Bendigo Bank.

'The bottom line is the bank just doesn't give a damn, they don't care,' she said.

It all started in January when a WhatsApp message was sent to Mrs Fitzwater, claiming to be from her son. He asked for an urgent loan, but unbeknownst to her, this was a classic scam—one we all know by the words ‘Hi Mum’. Mrs Fitzwater, with a trusting heart, agreed and transferred $10,000, thinking she was helping her son.

After realising the truth, the customer service representative provided little hope and did not even properly attempt to recover the stolen funds due to 'no further recovery rights for reimbursement'.

After falling victim to scams twice, Mrs Fitzwater spent months chasing a response from her bank. Credit: Shutterstock.

Having all that taken away in the blink of an eye can be devastating for anyone, so it's only right that banks should treat addressing such cases with the urgency they require.

Trying to reach out to the bank's fraud department, she was connected with customer service representatives instead who, as call logs show, seemingly couldn't get through to the actual department of their bank.

Despite making 12 phone calls over three months and several emails with additional information and questions, Mrs Fitzwater's distress was apparently ignored.

Steph Tonkin, CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, labelled Bendigo Bank's response as 'really concerning', noting 'time is of the essence' in these cases.

'They're blaming her for having been scammed,' she said, adding that cases similar to Mrs Fitzwater's underscored the pressing need for reform in how the banking sector deals with scams.

"The UK government has just passed laws to force banks to reimburse scam victims where, through no fault of their own they are victim of a scammer," she said.

"Absolutely, we should be following suit."

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said that higher standards are needed with regard to banks, and when things go wrong, a clearer understanding of where compensation is required must be apparent.

Sadly for Mrs Fitzwater, scammers struck again just a few months later. This time, they pretended to be from her bank's fraud department. Taking her security details, the scammer swiftly transferred $40,000 out of her savings and invested $16,000 in cryptocurrency.

Even worse, the bank allegedly never notified her, as she only found out when her card was declined at the shop.

Bendigo Bank didn't answer detailed questions about Mrs Fitzwater's case, citing privacy reasons. In a statement, it said the bank took cyber security 'very seriously' and used 'a combination of standard industry practices' to protect customers.

'By working together with our customers, we can even further reduce the incidence of scams and fraud,' the statement read.

'It goes without saying when the bank is at fault, we will reimburse our customers for the loss of funds. It is important that customers take steps to protect themselves and do not share their passwords.'

Key Takeaways

• Angela Fitzwater, an 83-year-old, lost $26,000 in two separate bank scams and criticised Bendigo Bank for their lack of assistance.
• Fitzwater claimed to have contacted Bendigo Bank multiple times seeking help, but her queries went unanswered, with the bank's customer service representatives unable to contact their fraud department.
• Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Steph Tonkin and Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones critiqued the bank's response, highlighting the need for reform in the banking sector's response to scams.
• Bendigo Bank refused to elaborate on Fitzwater's case due to privacy reasons but said it takes cyber security seriously, using a combination of standard industry practices to protect customers.

Cases like that of Mrs Fitzwater paint a dire picture for many people vulnerable to scams. Hopefully, more social safety nets will be established so that those with already so much lost don’t lose more.

In the meantime, take the time to familiarise yourself with potential scams, and if anything unexpected or suspicious ever happens to you, ensure you follow the correct steps to safeguard your privacy and savings.

Have you encountered any similar scams? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!

 

[Jo Piper3]

I feel very sorry for the poor lady and very angry at her bank. Hopefully she has found a kinder banking alternative.

 

[Ashmenou]

I feel very sorry for the poor lady and very angry at her bank. Hopefully she has found a kinder banking alternative.

Total agree

 

[Kelpie]

"(Sadly for Mrs Fitzwater, scammers struck again just a few months later. This time, they pretended to be from her bank's fraud department. Taking her security details, the scammer swiftly transferred $40,000 out of her savings and invested $16,000 in cryptocurrency.)"

This is exactly what happened to me. The caller pretended to be from the Bank's digital fraud squad stating that someone had withdrawn money form my account and if I wanted to stop it, and took the money out of my account.

 

[Jaleah]

Being scammed is terrible enough; no one should have to endure it, least of all 83-year-old Angela Fitzwater, who had not one but two cases of fraud victimise her this year, collectively robbing her of $26,000.

But as bad as that financial loss was, it pales compared to the distress caused by the response from her bank, Bendigo Bank.

'The bottom line is the bank just doesn't give a damn, they don't care,' she said.

It all started in January when a WhatsApp message was sent to Mrs Fitzwater, claiming to be from her son. He asked for an urgent loan, but unbeknownst to her, this was a classic scam—one we all know by the words ‘Hi Mum’. Mrs Fitzwater, with a trusting heart, agreed and transferred $10,000, thinking she was helping her son.

After realising the truth, the customer service representative provided little hope and did not even properly attempt to recover the stolen funds due to 'no further recovery rights for reimbursement'.

View attachment 29816

After falling victim to scams twice, Mrs Fitzwater spent months chasing a response from her bank. Credit: Shutterstock.

Having all that taken away in the blink of an eye can be devastating for anyone, so it's only right that banks should treat addressing such cases with the urgency they require.

Trying to reach out to the bank's fraud department, she was connected with customer service representatives instead who, as call logs show, seemingly couldn't get through to the actual department of their bank.

Despite making 12 phone calls over three months and several emails with additional information and questions, Mrs Fitzwater's distress was apparently ignored.

Steph Tonkin, CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, labelled Bendigo Bank's response as 'really concerning', noting 'time is of the essence' in these cases.

'They're blaming her for having been scammed,' she said, adding that cases similar to Mrs Fitzwater's underscored the pressing need for reform in how the banking sector deals with scams.

"The UK government has just passed laws to force banks to reimburse scam victims where, through no fault of their own they are victim of a scammer," she said.

"Absolutely, we should be following suit."

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said that higher standards are needed with regard to banks, and when things go wrong, a clearer understanding of where compensation is required must be apparent.

Sadly for Mrs Fitzwater, scammers struck again just a few months later. This time, they pretended to be from her bank's fraud department. Taking her security details, the scammer swiftly transferred $40,000 out of her savings and invested $16,000 in cryptocurrency.

Even worse, the bank allegedly never notified her, as she only found out when her card was declined at the shop.

Bendigo Bank didn't answer detailed questions about Mrs Fitzwater's case, citing privacy reasons. In a statement, it said the bank took cyber security 'very seriously' and used 'a combination of standard industry practices' to protect customers.

'By working together with our customers, we can even further reduce the incidence of scams and fraud,' the statement read.

'It goes without saying when the bank is at fault, we will reimburse our customers for the loss of funds. It is important that customers take steps to protect themselves and do not share their passwords.'

Key Takeaways

• Angela Fitzwater, an 83-year-old, lost $26,000 in two separate bank scams and criticised Bendigo Bank for their lack of assistance.
• Fitzwater claimed to have contacted Bendigo Bank multiple times seeking help, but her queries went unanswered, with the bank's customer service representatives unable to contact their fraud department.
• Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Steph Tonkin and Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones critiqued the bank's response, highlighting the need for reform in the banking sector's response to scams.
• Bendigo Bank refused to elaborate on Fitzwater's case due to privacy reasons but said it takes cyber security seriously, using a combination of standard industry practices to protect customers.

Cases like that of Mrs Fitzwater paint a dire picture for many people vulnerable to scams. Hopefully, more social safety nets will be established so that those with already so much lost don’t lose more.

In the meantime, take the time to familiarise yourself with potential scams, and if anything unexpected or suspicious ever happens to you, ensure you follow the correct steps to safeguard your privacy and savings.

Have you encountered any similar scams? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!

Bendigo bank should be said themselves

 

[Phil Nel]

Being scammed is terrible enough; no one should have to endure it, least of all 83-year-old Angela Fitzwater, who had not one but two cases of fraud victimise her this year, collectively robbing her of $26,000.

But as bad as that financial loss was, it pales compared to the distress caused by the response from her bank, Bendigo Bank.

'The bottom line is the bank just doesn't give a damn, they don't care,' she said.

It all started in January when a WhatsApp message was sent to Mrs Fitzwater, claiming to be from her son. He asked for an urgent loan, but unbeknownst to her, this was a classic scam—one we all know by the words ‘Hi Mum’. Mrs Fitzwater, with a trusting heart, agreed and transferred $10,000, thinking she was helping her son.

After realising the truth, the customer service representative provided little hope and did not even properly attempt to recover the stolen funds due to 'no further recovery rights for reimbursement'.

View attachment 29816

After falling victim to scams twice, Mrs Fitzwater spent months chasing a response from her bank. Credit: Shutterstock.

Having all that taken away in the blink of an eye can be devastating for anyone, so it's only right that banks should treat addressing such cases with the urgency they require.

Trying to reach out to the bank's fraud department, she was connected with customer service representatives instead who, as call logs show, seemingly couldn't get through to the actual department of their bank.

Despite making 12 phone calls over three months and several emails with additional information and questions, Mrs Fitzwater's distress was apparently ignored.

Steph Tonkin, CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, labelled Bendigo Bank's response as 'really concerning', noting 'time is of the essence' in these cases.

'They're blaming her for having been scammed,' she said, adding that cases similar to Mrs Fitzwater's underscored the pressing need for reform in how the banking sector deals with scams.

"The UK government has just passed laws to force banks to reimburse scam victims where, through no fault of their own they are victim of a scammer," she said.

"Absolutely, we should be following suit."

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said that higher standards are needed with regard to banks, and when things go wrong, a clearer understanding of where compensation is required must be apparent.

Sadly for Mrs Fitzwater, scammers struck again just a few months later. This time, they pretended to be from her bank's fraud department. Taking her security details, the scammer swiftly transferred $40,000 out of her savings and invested $16,000 in cryptocurrency.

Even worse, the bank allegedly never notified her, as she only found out when her card was declined at the shop.

Bendigo Bank didn't answer detailed questions about Mrs Fitzwater's case, citing privacy reasons. In a statement, it said the bank took cyber security 'very seriously' and used 'a combination of standard industry practices' to protect customers.

'By working together with our customers, we can even further reduce the incidence of scams and fraud,' the statement read.

'It goes without saying when the bank is at fault, we will reimburse our customers for the loss of funds. It is important that customers take steps to protect themselves and do not share their passwords.'

Key Takeaways

• Angela Fitzwater, an 83-year-old, lost $26,000 in two separate bank scams and criticised Bendigo Bank for their lack of assistance.
• Fitzwater claimed to have contacted Bendigo Bank multiple times seeking help, but her queries went unanswered, with the bank's customer service representatives unable to contact their fraud department.
• Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Steph Tonkin and Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones critiqued the bank's response, highlighting the need for reform in the banking sector's response to scams.
• Bendigo Bank refused to elaborate on Fitzwater's case due to privacy reasons but said it takes cyber security seriously, using a combination of standard industry practices to protect customers.

Cases like that of Mrs Fitzwater paint a dire picture for many people vulnerable to scams. Hopefully, more social safety nets will be established so that those with already so much lost don’t lose more.

In the meantime, take the time to familiarise yourself with potential scams, and if anything unexpected or suspicious ever happens to you, ensure you follow the correct steps to safeguard your privacy and savings.

Have you encountered any similar scams? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!

Bye bye Bendigo! Will purposely avoid.

 

[The CAJAN]

Being scammed is terrible enough; no one should have to endure it, least of all 83-year-old Angela Fitzwater, who had not one but two cases of fraud victimise her this year, collectively robbing her of $26,000.

But as bad as that financial loss was, it pales compared to the distress caused by the response from her bank, Bendigo Bank.

'The bottom line is the bank just doesn't give a damn, they don't care,' she said.

It all started in January when a WhatsApp message was sent to Mrs Fitzwater, claiming to be from her son. He asked for an urgent loan, but unbeknownst to her, this was a classic scam—one we all know by the words ‘Hi Mum’. Mrs Fitzwater, with a trusting heart, agreed and transferred $10,000, thinking she was helping her son.

After realising the truth, the customer service representative provided little hope and did not even properly attempt to recover the stolen funds due to 'no further recovery rights for reimbursement'.

View attachment 29816

After falling victim to scams twice, Mrs Fitzwater spent months chasing a response from her bank. Credit: Shutterstock.

Having all that taken away in the blink of an eye can be devastating for anyone, so it's only right that banks should treat addressing such cases with the urgency they require.

Trying to reach out to the bank's fraud department, she was connected with customer service representatives instead who, as call logs show, seemingly couldn't get through to the actual department of their bank.

Despite making 12 phone calls over three months and several emails with additional information and questions, Mrs Fitzwater's distress was apparently ignored.

Steph Tonkin, CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, labelled Bendigo Bank's response as 'really concerning', noting 'time is of the essence' in these cases.

'They're blaming her for having been scammed,' she said, adding that cases similar to Mrs Fitzwater's underscored the pressing need for reform in how the banking sector deals with scams.

"The UK government has just passed laws to force banks to reimburse scam victims where, through no fault of their own they are victim of a scammer," she said.

"Absolutely, we should be following suit."

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said that higher standards are needed with regard to banks, and when things go wrong, a clearer understanding of where compensation is required must be apparent.

Sadly for Mrs Fitzwater, scammers struck again just a few months later. This time, they pretended to be from her bank's fraud department. Taking her security details, the scammer swiftly transferred $40,000 out of her savings and invested $16,000 in cryptocurrency.

Even worse, the bank allegedly never notified her, as she only found out when her card was declined at the shop.

Bendigo Bank didn't answer detailed questions about Mrs Fitzwater's case, citing privacy reasons. In a statement, it said the bank took cyber security 'very seriously' and used 'a combination of standard industry practices' to protect customers.

'By working together with our customers, we can even further reduce the incidence of scams and fraud,' the statement read.

'It goes without saying when the bank is at fault, we will reimburse our customers for the loss of funds. It is important that customers take steps to protect themselves and do not share their passwords.'

Key Takeaways

• Angela Fitzwater, an 83-year-old, lost $26,000 in two separate bank scams and criticised Bendigo Bank for their lack of assistance.
• Fitzwater claimed to have contacted Bendigo Bank multiple times seeking help, but her queries went unanswered, with the bank's customer service representatives unable to contact their fraud department.
• Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Steph Tonkin and Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones critiqued the bank's response, highlighting the need for reform in the banking sector's response to scams.
• Bendigo Bank refused to elaborate on Fitzwater's case due to privacy reasons but said it takes cyber security seriously, using a combination of standard industry practices to protect customers.

Cases like that of Mrs Fitzwater paint a dire picture for many people vulnerable to scams. Hopefully, more social safety nets will be established so that those with already so much lost don’t lose more.

In the meantime, take the time to familiarise yourself with potential scams, and if anything unexpected or suspicious ever happens to you, ensure you follow the correct steps to safeguard your privacy and savings.

Have you encountered any similar scams? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!

With banks, it's "Mind over matter -- they don't mind and you don't matter' -- our banks are like third world country banks. If you bank with Bendigo, close your accounts today, stay away from Combank who have done far worse to a customer. Go Heritage or Westpac, preferably Westpac. Don't use credit cards.

 

[Dalgie]

Absolutely disgraceful. All banks need to step up when it comes to keeping everyone’s money safe. It’s from customers money that they are making insane profits.. From the hundreds of millions of profit they make for themselves, it would barely be noticed if they refunded those people without haste after letting them down so badly! They want us to be a cashless society but when banks don’t protect us it’s the last thing to be thinking!
I hope you’ve moved to another bank!

 

[Loubeauxarts]

...and the banks are actively pushing for absolute control of everyone's money. Do away with cash completely and put your trust in a banking system that only cares about profits....

 

[Keswickian]

Sad as it may be, I don't believe that Banks should be held accountable for simple scams like the 'Hi Mum' scam.
How could they possible prevent or intervene in a transaction they knew nothing about and had absolutely no control over until the customer realized their mistake and complained about it?
To scrutinize every transaction of every customer (even just the big ones) and make a judgement as to whether it is suspicious or not would not only be impossible but potentially interfering in their customer's personal affairs.
In the reported case, the Bank would have to stop the transaction, contact the customer to verify it, then process the transfer. In some cases the customer may require the transfer urgently so his transaction would then be compromised. The Bank just can't be sure of doing the right thing.

 

[Gsr]

I agree, banks need to do more. Maybe it’s time they put a hold on any accounts transferring large amount of money, especially if it is out of the norm for that customer. Saying that, when are people going to wake up and stop willy nilly providing their account details to everyone who contacts them stating there has been an issue with their accounts. Surely by now everyone knows they should treat every call or email about their bank accounts or supposedly from the kids asking for money with great suspicion and do some serious checking before they transfer money or give out any details. Maybe some of these older people are no longer capable of handling their own financial affairs and need families to step up and assist.

 

[Jest]

Being scammed is terrible enough; no one should have to endure it, least of all 83-year-old Angela Fitzwater, who had not one but two cases of fraud victimise her this year, collectively robbing her of $26,000.

But as bad as that financial loss was, it pales compared to the distress caused by the response from her bank, Bendigo Bank.

'The bottom line is the bank just doesn't give a damn, they don't care,' she said.

It all started in January when a WhatsApp message was sent to Mrs Fitzwater, claiming to be from her son. He asked for an urgent loan, but unbeknownst to her, this was a classic scam—one we all know by the words ‘Hi Mum’. Mrs Fitzwater, with a trusting heart, agreed and transferred $10,000, thinking she was helping her son.

After realising the truth, the customer service representative provided little hope and did not even properly attempt to recover the stolen funds due to 'no further recovery rights for reimbursement'.

View attachment 29816

After falling victim to scams twice, Mrs Fitzwater spent months chasing a response from her bank. Credit: Shutterstock.

Having all that taken away in the blink of an eye can be devastating for anyone, so it's only right that banks should treat addressing such cases with the urgency they require.

Trying to reach out to the bank's fraud department, she was connected with customer service representatives instead who, as call logs show, seemingly couldn't get through to the actual department of their bank.

Despite making 12 phone calls over three months and several emails with additional information and questions, Mrs Fitzwater's distress was apparently ignored.

Steph Tonkin, CEO of the Consumer Action Law Centre, labelled Bendigo Bank's response as 'really concerning', noting 'time is of the essence' in these cases.

'They're blaming her for having been scammed,' she said, adding that cases similar to Mrs Fitzwater's underscored the pressing need for reform in how the banking sector deals with scams.

"The UK government has just passed laws to force banks to reimburse scam victims where, through no fault of their own they are victim of a scammer," she said.

"Absolutely, we should be following suit."

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said that higher standards are needed with regard to banks, and when things go wrong, a clearer understanding of where compensation is required must be apparent.

Sadly for Mrs Fitzwater, scammers struck again just a few months later. This time, they pretended to be from her bank's fraud department. Taking her security details, the scammer swiftly transferred $40,000 out of her savings and invested $16,000 in cryptocurrency.

Even worse, the bank allegedly never notified her, as she only found out when her card was declined at the shop.

Bendigo Bank didn't answer detailed questions about Mrs Fitzwater's case, citing privacy reasons. In a statement, it said the bank took cyber security 'very seriously' and used 'a combination of standard industry practices' to protect customers.

'By working together with our customers, we can even further reduce the incidence of scams and fraud,' the statement read.

'It goes without saying when the bank is at fault, we will reimburse our customers for the loss of funds. It is important that customers take steps to protect themselves and do not share their passwords.'

Key Takeaways

• Angela Fitzwater, an 83-year-old, lost $26,000 in two separate bank scams and criticised Bendigo Bank for their lack of assistance.
• Fitzwater claimed to have contacted Bendigo Bank multiple times seeking help, but her queries went unanswered, with the bank's customer service representatives unable to contact their fraud department.
• Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Steph Tonkin and Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones critiqued the bank's response, highlighting the need for reform in the banking sector's response to scams.
• Bendigo Bank refused to elaborate on Fitzwater's case due to privacy reasons but said it takes cyber security seriously, using a combination of standard industry practices to protect customers.

Cases like that of Mrs Fitzwater paint a dire picture for many people vulnerable to scams. Hopefully, more social safety nets will be established so that those with already so much lost don’t lose more.

In the meantime, take the time to familiarise yourself with potential scams, and if anything unexpected or suspicious ever happens to you, ensure you follow the correct steps to safeguard your privacy and savings.

Have you encountered any similar scams? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!

it is a sorry state BUT why do we expect our mistakes to be fixed by our banks? it isn't like we have not been warned about these scams. JUST do not open or take one blind bit of notice of a text message, or phone call from a bank. leave it and check up in your normal way.

 

[Jest]

I agree, banks need to do more. Maybe it’s time they put a hold on any accounts transferring large amount of money, especially if it is out of the norm for that customer. Saying that, when are people going to wake up and stop willy nilly providing their account details to everyone who contacts them stating there has been an issue with their accounts. Surely by now everyone knows they should treat every call or email about their bank accounts or supposedly from the kids asking for money with great suspicion and do some serious checking before they transfer money or give out any details. Maybe some of these older people are no longer capable of handling their own financial affairs and need families to step up and assist.

hang on i am 84 and still very savvy.

 

[Jest]

Absolutely disgraceful. All banks need to step up when it comes to keeping everyone’s money safe. It’s from customers money that they are making insane profits.. From the hundreds of millions of profit they make for themselves, it would barely be noticed if they refunded those people without haste after letting them down so badly! They want us to be a cashless society but when banks don’t protect us it’s the last thing to be thinking!
I hope you’ve moved to another bank!

the did not let this one down. she did.

 

[maxesmum]

Bendigo Bank are pricks. I banked with them when they were a credit union. My bank number was 966! They used to look after you back then. Now? They are know for being miserable. We sold all our shares and transferred to another and they’ve never given us a scrap of trouble.

 

[Gsr]

hang on i am 84 and still very savvy.

No offence to you, but I’m sure a lot of older people are past the stage of being able to manage their own financial affairs for different reasons. I’m sure you and a lot of others can still manage, but there seems to be a large number of older people losing money to these scams, there has to be a reason.

 

[Trudi]

One of my sons asked me for a loan last year when he and his partner were buying a house. He phoned me and we chatted for a while about family stuff before he asked for the loan.

I have his banking details on my online account, but I asked him to send me an email with his banking details. After confirming that they were his banking details, I transferred the money.

How did I know that it was my son and not a scammer?
1) I knew that he and his partner were making an offer on a house
2) We talked about family matters over the phone
3) He sent me an email from his email account
4) His banking details matched with what I had recorded in my online account
5) I phoned him as soon as the transaction was completed

 

[Trudi]

No offence to you, but I’m sure a lot of older people are past the stage of being able to manage their own financial affairs for different reasons. I’m sure you and a lot of others can still manage, but there seems to be a large number of older people losing money to these scams, there has to be a reason.

Well, there is also a large proportion of young people that are completely incapable of managing anything, least of all their finances!

 

[Gsr]

Well, there is also a large proportion of young people that are completely incapable of managing anything, least of all their finances!

Totally agree, but it is the older folks we are hearing about on SDC.

 

[Veggiepatch]

"Bendigo....the better big bank".
Better at letting their customers get ripped off, that's for sure.