It's no secret that scams and frauds are rampant these days. With every passing day, fraudsters seem to use a new tactic to prey on everyday Australians.

It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the tricks as con artists and scammers seem to always be one step ahead.

That's why we here at the SDC are dedicated to keeping an eye out for any shady or illegal activity, especially concerning our beloved seniors.

We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the latest scams and frauds to stay safe and protected.

As it turns out, our previous warning about scams and fraudsters has become a reality for a 90-year-old grandmother residing in western Sydney.

A 90-year-old grandmother from western Sydney has fallen victim to a heartless computer scam, resulting in the loss of $100,000 to the criminals involved. Credit: Shutterstock.

The elderly resident, who we'll call ‘Brenda’ to protect her privacy, was recently scammed out of $100,000 after she fell victim to a cruel IT-based con.

It all started when Brenda was browsing on her computer at home and noticed a security alert – which she thought was legitimate since it displayed a phone number that she could call to 'fix' the issue.

She made the call, but things soon took an unexpected turn when a woman identified as ‘Jade’ from ‘Apple Security’ picked up the phone on the other end and offered assistance.

Brenda, however, was none the wiser and cooperated as ‘Jade’ started to ‘work’ on the problem.

Jade then told Brenda, who lives in a retirement village, that they owed her a refund of $500 and would need her internet banking details.

Not having used online banking before, ‘Jade’ helped Brenda set up an online account.

Unfortunately, this had a grave consequence - in doing so, the scammers had installed remote access software onto Brenda’s device, meaning they had access to her personal information.

With their newfound access, the scammers told Brenda that they had transferred too many zeros to her account and inadvertently given her a ‘refund’ of $50,000 instead of $500.

In order to ‘rectify’ their mistake, ‘Jade’ told Brenda to go immediately to her bank and transfer the large sum of money into an account labelled ACN Constructions Pty Ltd NSW, citing it as ‘renovations’ if the bank asked why.

Brenda remembered how she felt uneasy with Jade’s insistent tone.

'I was very frightened and scared, and I felt like they were watching me and listening to me,' she shared.

The grandmother followed the scammer's instructions and visited ANZ bank.

Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.

Little did she know, she had just unwittingly transferred $50,000 to the scammers.

However, this is just the beginning of the scam. Jade and another male fraudster contacted her again, this time alleging that the same mistake had been made again.

The scammers were relentless and kept pressuring her to keep the situation under wraps, warning her not to disclose anything to anyone.

Flustered and scared, and so as not to draw attention, Brenda sadly lost another $50,000.

Summoning her courage, the 90-year-old finally confided in her sons about the incident. As soon as Brenda shared what had occurred, her sons recognised that their mother had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.

One of her sons said: 'We were horrified ... Mum has been a customer with ANZ for 60 years. How could they let this happen?'

The grandmother had believed that being without internet banking made her immune to scams. However, what she and her sons didn't know was that these criminals had found a way to hijack her computer.

Brenda also came to the realisation that there were warning signs that she had overlooked. She remembered feeling pressured to act hastily, leaving her with insufficient time to carefully consider the situation.

She remarked: 'People said "Well, why didn't you just hang up", but I was worried they would have kept ringing me. On the Tuesday, they rang me about 18 times.’

According to an ANZ spokesperson, the bank is actively collaborating with other financial institutions, regulators, and the government to tackle this issue and find a viable solution.

The representative said: 'ANZ has robust processes and systems in place to protect our customers against fraud and scams.’

'ANZ will never email, call or text message you, asking for personal information like your password, PIN, one-time password for payments, RSA token, ANZ Shield or ask you to transfer funds into another account.'

Key Takeaways

• A 90-year-old grandmother in Western Sydney lost $100,000 in a cruel computer scam.
• Scammers posed as Apple security and convinced her to set up internet banking, which she had never done before.
• After setting up her account, the scammers had access to her information and convinced her to transfer large sums of money.
• Brenda's family was horrified and warned others to be aware of potential scams.

This frightening story serves as an important reminder to be vigilant when it comes to suspicious emails, texts or security alerts.

Never give out your financial credentials to someone you don’t know, and be cautious about any unsolicited calls or emails.

Always take your time so you can consider any decision carefully.

Finally, if you encounter a scam targeting our members, please let us know so we can alert everyone to be extra careful!

Tips for keeping yourself safe from scams. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

Stay safe out there, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can stay on top of this scheme as well.

For those of you who would like to read more about Brenda’s story, we recommend checking out this article.

 

[Gertrude Davis]

Hope she gets her money back

How is that possible?

 

[pascoevale]

It's no secret that scams and frauds are rampant these days. With every passing day, fraudsters seem to use a new tactic to prey on everyday Australians.

It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the tricks as con artists and scammers seem to always be one step ahead.

That's why we here at the SDC are dedicated to keeping an eye out for any shady or illegal activity, especially concerning our beloved seniors.

We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the latest scams and frauds to stay safe and protected.

As it turns out, our previous warning about scams and fraudsters has become a reality for a 90-year-old grandmother residing in western Sydney.

View attachment 19797

A 90-year-old grandmother from western Sydney has fallen victim to a heartless computer scam, resulting in the loss of $100,000 to the criminals involved. Credit: Shutterstock.

The elderly resident, who we'll call ‘Brenda’ to protect her privacy, was recently scammed out of $100,000 after she fell victim to a cruel IT-based con.

It all started when Brenda was browsing on her computer at home and noticed a security alert – which she thought was legitimate since it displayed a phone number that she could call to 'fix' the issue.

She made the call, but things soon took an unexpected turn when a woman identified as ‘Jade’ from ‘Apple Security’ picked up the phone on the other end and offered assistance.

Brenda, however, was none the wiser and cooperated as ‘Jade’ started to ‘work’ on the problem.

Jade then told Brenda, who lives in a retirement village, that they owed her a refund of $500 and would need her internet banking details.

Not having used online banking before, ‘Jade’ helped Brenda set up an online account.

Unfortunately, this had a grave consequence - in doing so, the scammers had installed remote access software onto Brenda’s device, meaning they had access to her personal information.

With their newfound access, the scammers told Brenda that they had transferred too many zeros to her account and inadvertently given her a ‘refund’ of $50,000 instead of $500.

In order to ‘rectify’ their mistake, ‘Jade’ told Brenda to go immediately to her bank and transfer the large sum of money into an account labelled ACN Constructions Pty Ltd NSW, citing it as ‘renovations’ if the bank asked why.

Brenda remembered how she felt uneasy with Jade’s insistent tone.

'I was very frightened and scared, and I felt like they were watching me and listening to me,' she shared.

The grandmother followed the scammer's instructions and visited ANZ bank.

Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.

Little did she know, she had just unwittingly transferred $50,000 to the scammers.

However, this is just the beginning of the scam. Jade and another male fraudster contacted her again, this time alleging that the same mistake had been made again.

The scammers were relentless and kept pressuring her to keep the situation under wraps, warning her not to disclose anything to anyone.

Flustered and scared, and so as not to draw attention, Brenda sadly lost another $50,000.

Summoning her courage, the 90-year-old finally confided in her sons about the incident. As soon as Brenda shared what had occurred, her sons recognised that their mother had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.

One of her sons said: 'We were horrified ... Mum has been a customer with ANZ for 60 years. How could they let this happen?'

The grandmother had believed that being without internet banking made her immune to scams. However, what she and her sons didn't know was that these criminals had found a way to hijack her computer.

Brenda also came to the realisation that there were warning signs that she had overlooked. She remembered feeling pressured to act hastily, leaving her with insufficient time to carefully consider the situation.

She remarked: 'People said "Well, why didn't you just hang up", but I was worried they would have kept ringing me. On the Tuesday, they rang me about 18 times.’

According to an ANZ spokesperson, the bank is actively collaborating with other financial institutions, regulators, and the government to tackle this issue and find a viable solution.

The representative said: 'ANZ has robust processes and systems in place to protect our customers against fraud and scams.’

'ANZ will never email, call or text message you, asking for personal information like your password, PIN, one-time password for payments, RSA token, ANZ Shield or ask you to transfer funds into another account.'

Key Takeaways

• A 90-year-old grandmother in Western Sydney lost $100,000 in a cruel computer scam.
• Scammers posed as Apple security and convinced her to set up internet banking, which she had never done before.
• After setting up her account, the scammers had access to her information and convinced her to transfer large sums of money.
• Brenda's family was horrified and warned others to be aware of potential scams.

This frightening story serves as an important reminder to be vigilant when it comes to suspicious emails, texts or security alerts.

Never give out your financial credentials to someone you don’t know, and be cautious about any unsolicited calls or emails.

Always take your time so you can consider any decision carefully.

Finally, if you encounter a scam targeting our members, please let us know so we can alert everyone to be extra careful!

View attachment 19844

Tips for keeping yourself safe from scams. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

Stay safe out there, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can stay on top of this scheme as well.

For those of you who would like to read more about Brenda’s story, we recommend checking out this article.

 

[pascoevale]

This is exactly how it happens these are highlighted in a YouTube scammer payback this is a way of being aware the old refund scam they owe you a refund WHY first red flag once you let them access your computer they remotely alter /add zeros to increase so you can’t see it then they have control and yes they can and will do it some banks pounce and block it not all Do not let this happen they use fake companies names like Norton security chase bank,Amazon, Telstra, any desk ,Apple,Microsoft the list go on We all need to protect ourselves and families. educate ourselves with knowledge . The you tube channel Scammer Payback………. Most smart tvs have YouTube as interne. This is a reality mainly coming out of initial and Pakistan their accents give it away and their personalities

 

[rodbruce]

Just slow down the banking system. The fear of punishment —A flogging would remove all second offenders.

 

[waz57]

in this day and age these scams cannot be traced and deleted? be alert. i have the phone calls for visa and they are just a recording. alas i cannot tell them to buggar off when it is that

To find out about remote access and turn it off. It was made for the intention of software or computer workers to gain access and take full control of your computer and its simple to gain access so this door needs to be closed and not opened as there is safer ways to have work done. CONTROL PANEL System and security System Remote Desktop Or Allow Remote Desktop Access And make sure it says OFF not ON

 

[waz57]

Oh, how upsetting for the poor darling.
There are some right mongrels out there.
My concern with this story was that the ANZ bank became unwittingly complicit by helping her finalise the transaction. The story mentions they checked some things, then processed it. I have to wonder what those checks were. Surely, their duty of care is to make sure such a vulnerable person is fully aware of what she/he is doing.
Just a few questions by the bank may well have stopped this in it's tracks.
I am one of those people who dumps callers I don't know, however, am very happy to do so with the mobile security system I have in place. Trend Micro is my desktop security, who also provide cover for mobiles and tablets in my household. Works a treat.
As soon as a call comes in, if it is a dodgy number, Trend flags the call itself and flashes a message on the screen while it is ringing, like, this call is identified at a scammer..."
It is just a push of a button to then block the call.
These people are an infestation, and more often than not, will keep calling through a rotation of numbers. It is best to ignore them, and more importantly, get security where you need it.

To find out about remote access and turn it off. It was made for the intention of software or computer workers to gain access and take full control of your computer and its simple to gain access so this door needs to be closed and not opened as there is safer ways to have work done. CONTROL PANEL System and security System Remote Desktop Or Allow Remote Desktop Access And make sure it says OFF not ON

 

[waz57]

This is exactly how it happens these are highlighted in a YouTube scammer payback this is a way of being aware the old refund scam they owe you a refund WHY first red flag once you let them access your computer they remotely alter /add zeros to increase so you can’t see it then they have control and yes they can and will do it some banks pounce and block it not all Do not let this happen they use fake companies names like Norton security chase bank,Amazon, Telstra, any desk ,Apple,Microsoft the list go on We all need to protect ourselves and families. educate ourselves with knowledge . The you tube channel Scammer Payback………. Most smart tvs have YouTube as interne. This is a reality mainly coming out of initial and Pakistan their accents give it away and their personalities

To find out about remote access and turn it off. It was made for the intention of software or computer workers to gain access and take full control of your computer and its simple to gain access so this door needs to be closed and not opened as there is safer ways to have work done. CONTROL PANEL System and security System Remote Desktop Or Allow Remote Desktop Access And make sure it says OFF not ON

 

[lynnh]

It's no secret that scams and frauds are rampant these days. With every passing day, fraudsters seem to use a new tactic to prey on everyday Australians.

It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the tricks as con artists and scammers seem to always be one step ahead.

That's why we here at the SDC are dedicated to keeping an eye out for any shady or illegal activity, especially concerning our beloved seniors.

We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the latest scams and frauds to stay safe and protected.

As it turns out, our previous warning about scams and fraudsters has become a reality for a 90-year-old grandmother residing in western Sydney.

View attachment 19797

A 90-year-old grandmother from western Sydney has fallen victim to a heartless computer scam, resulting in the loss of $100,000 to the criminals involved. Credit: Shutterstock.

The elderly resident, who we'll call ‘Brenda’ to protect her privacy, was recently scammed out of $100,000 after she fell victim to a cruel IT-based con.

It all started when Brenda was browsing on her computer at home and noticed a security alert – which she thought was legitimate since it displayed a phone number that she could call to 'fix' the issue.

She made the call, but things soon took an unexpected turn when a woman identified as ‘Jade’ from ‘Apple Security’ picked up the phone on the other end and offered assistance.

Brenda, however, was none the wiser and cooperated as ‘Jade’ started to ‘work’ on the problem.

Jade then told Brenda, who lives in a retirement village, that they owed her a refund of $500 and would need her internet banking details.

Not having used online banking before, ‘Jade’ helped Brenda set up an online account.

Unfortunately, this had a grave consequence - in doing so, the scammers had installed remote access software onto Brenda’s device, meaning they had access to her personal information.

With their newfound access, the scammers told Brenda that they had transferred too many zeros to her account and inadvertently given her a ‘refund’ of $50,000 instead of $500.

In order to ‘rectify’ their mistake, ‘Jade’ told Brenda to go immediately to her bank and transfer the large sum of money into an account labelled ACN Constructions Pty Ltd NSW, citing it as ‘renovations’ if the bank asked why.

Brenda remembered how she felt uneasy with Jade’s insistent tone.

'I was very frightened and scared, and I felt like they were watching me and listening to me,' she shared.

The grandmother followed the scammer's instructions and visited ANZ bank.

Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.

Little did she know, she had just unwittingly transferred $50,000 to the scammers.

However, this is just the beginning of the scam. Jade and another male fraudster contacted her again, this time alleging that the same mistake had been made again.

The scammers were relentless and kept pressuring her to keep the situation under wraps, warning her not to disclose anything to anyone.

Flustered and scared, and so as not to draw attention, Brenda sadly lost another $50,000.

Summoning her courage, the 90-year-old finally confided in her sons about the incident. As soon as Brenda shared what had occurred, her sons recognised that their mother had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.

One of her sons said: 'We were horrified ... Mum has been a customer with ANZ for 60 years. How could they let this happen?'

The grandmother had believed that being without internet banking made her immune to scams. However, what she and her sons didn't know was that these criminals had found a way to hijack her computer.

Brenda also came to the realisation that there were warning signs that she had overlooked. She remembered feeling pressured to act hastily, leaving her with insufficient time to carefully consider the situation.

She remarked: 'People said "Well, why didn't you just hang up", but I was worried they would have kept ringing me. On the Tuesday, they rang me about 18 times.’

According to an ANZ spokesperson, the bank is actively collaborating with other financial institutions, regulators, and the government to tackle this issue and find a viable solution.

The representative said: 'ANZ has robust processes and systems in place to protect our customers against fraud and scams.’

'ANZ will never email, call or text message you, asking for personal information like your password, PIN, one-time password for payments, RSA token, ANZ Shield or ask you to transfer funds into another account.'

Key Takeaways

• A 90-year-old grandmother in Western Sydney lost $100,000 in a cruel computer scam.
• Scammers posed as Apple security and convinced her to set up internet banking, which she had never done before.
• After setting up her account, the scammers had access to her information and convinced her to transfer large sums of money.
• Brenda's family was horrified and warned others to be aware of potential scams.

This frightening story serves as an important reminder to be vigilant when it comes to suspicious emails, texts or security alerts.

Never give out your financial credentials to someone you don’t know, and be cautious about any unsolicited calls or emails.

Always take your time so you can consider any decision carefully.

Finally, if you encounter a scam targeting our members, please let us know so we can alert everyone to be extra careful!

View attachment 19844

Tips for keeping yourself safe from scams. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

Stay safe out there, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can stay on top of this scheme as well.

For those of you who would like to read more about Brenda’s story, we recommend checking out this article.

I have been looking into upgrading my gas hot water to electric and bc I have been researching when a post comes up on FB, I have been receiving txt msgs re same. I'm not clicking on any link bc I'm just not sure they are legit simply bc there are quite a few companies that seem to be offering the upgrade. Is this just another way for scammers to hook into when government are in fact offering upgrades??

 

[patrick.dick]

I

It's no secret that scams and frauds are rampant these days. With every passing day, fraudsters seem to use a new tactic to prey on everyday Australians.

It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the tricks as con artists and scammers seem to always be one step ahead.

That's why we here at the SDC are dedicated to keeping an eye out for any shady or illegal activity, especially concerning our beloved seniors.

We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the latest scams and frauds to stay safe and protected.

As it turns out, our previous warning about scams and fraudsters has become a reality for a 90-year-old grandmother residing in western Sydney.

View attachment 19797

A 90-year-old grandmother from western Sydney has fallen victim to a heartless computer scam, resulting in the loss of $100,000 to the criminals involved. Credit: Shutterstock.

The elderly resident, who we'll call ‘Brenda’ to protect her privacy, was recently scammed out of $100,000 after she fell victim to a cruel IT-based con.

It all started when Brenda was browsing on her computer at home and noticed a security alert – which she thought was legitimate since it displayed a phone number that she could call to 'fix' the issue.

She made the call, but things soon took an unexpected turn when a woman identified as ‘Jade’ from ‘Apple Security’ picked up the phone on the other end and offered assistance.

Brenda, however, was none the wiser and cooperated as ‘Jade’ started to ‘work’ on the problem.

Jade then told Brenda, who lives in a retirement village, that they owed her a refund of $500 and would need her internet banking details.

Not having used online banking before, ‘Jade’ helped Brenda set up an online account.

Unfortunately, this had a grave consequence - in doing so, the scammers had installed remote access software onto Brenda’s device, meaning they had access to her personal information.

With their newfound access, the scammers told Brenda that they had transferred too many zeros to her account and inadvertently given her a ‘refund’ of $50,000 instead of $500.

In order to ‘rectify’ their mistake, ‘Jade’ told Brenda to go immediately to her bank and transfer the large sum of money into an account labelled ACN Constructions Pty Ltd NSW, citing it as ‘renovations’ if the bank asked why.

Brenda remembered how she felt uneasy with Jade’s insistent tone.

'I was very frightened and scared, and I felt like they were watching me and listening to me,' she shared.

The grandmother followed the scammer's instructions and visited ANZ bank.

Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.

Little did she know, she had just unwittingly transferred $50,000 to the scammers.

However, this is just the beginning of the scam. Jade and another male fraudster contacted her again, this time alleging that the same mistake had been made again.

The scammers were relentless and kept pressuring her to keep the situation under wraps, warning her not to disclose anything to anyone.

Flustered and scared, and so as not to draw attention, Brenda sadly lost another $50,000.

Summoning her courage, the 90-year-old finally confided in her sons about the incident. As soon as Brenda shared what had occurred, her sons recognised that their mother had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.

One of her sons said: 'We were horrified ... Mum has been a customer with ANZ for 60 years. How could they let this happen?'

The grandmother had believed that being without internet banking made her immune to scams. However, what she and her sons didn't know was that these criminals had found a way to hijack her computer.

Brenda also came to the realisation that there were warning signs that she had overlooked. She remembered feeling pressured to act hastily, leaving her with insufficient time to carefully consider the situation.

She remarked: 'People said "Well, why didn't you just hang up", but I was worried they would have kept ringing me. On the Tuesday, they rang me about 18 times.’

According to an ANZ spokesperson, the bank is actively collaborating with other financial institutions, regulators, and the government to tackle this issue and find a viable solution.

The representative said: 'ANZ has robust processes and systems in place to protect our customers against fraud and scams.’

'ANZ will never email, call or text message you, asking for personal information like your password, PIN, one-time password for payments, RSA token, ANZ Shield or ask you to transfer funds into another account.'

Key Takeaways

• A 90-year-old grandmother in Western Sydney lost $100,000 in a cruel computer scam.
• Scammers posed as Apple security and convinced her to set up internet banking, which she had never done before.
• After setting up her account, the scammers had access to her information and convinced her to transfer large sums of money.
• Brenda's family was horrified and warned others to be aware of potential scams.

This frightening story serves as an important reminder to be vigilant when it comes to suspicious emails, texts or security alerts.

Never give out your financial credentials to someone you don’t know, and be cautious about any unsolicited calls or emails.

Always take your time so you can consider any decision carefully.

Finally, if you encounter a scam targeting our members, please let us know so we can alert everyone to be extra careful!

View attachment 19844

Tips for keeping yourself safe from scams. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

Stay safe out there, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can stay on top of this scheme as well.

For those of you who would like to read more about Brenda’s story, we recommend checking out this article.

A part of this story doesn’t ring true : “Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.” Either
better training or just simple awareness could have triggered a “few more checks”.

 

[Keswickian]

Do I understand this correctly - Brenda went into a branch of the bank where a bank officer helped her transfer $50,000 to another account? It's disappointing they didn't delve deeper into how and why the need for this transaction came about; nor to confirm that the 'to' account was a legitimate account. The bank needs to take some responsibility for this particular scam.

 

[Penny4]

Do I understand this correctly - Brenda went into a branch of the bank where a bank officer helped her transfer $50,000 to another account? It's disappointing they didn't delve deeper into how and why the need for this transaction came about; nor to confirm that the 'to' account was a legitimate account. The bank needs to take some responsibility for this particular scam.

The lady gave her authority to the bank to transfer the money, I can't see why the bank is at fault. Not sure banks would be able to acknowledge an issue if people give authorities.
My view is it's similar to Australia Post. Letters in ... letters out.
Banks are money in ... money out.
Osko deposit transfers are lightening fast. People used to complain about money transfers taking days/week to deposit. I recall years ago, people complained that they missed out on their cruise discount in time.
Not sure what is the best solution.

 

[Cadfael]

If you don't know or are unsure of a text, message or call, do not click on their link oranswer any questions. Contact your internet provider. Do not use links or phone numbers these messages provide. If unsure have a rellie look at it for you.

 

[Vio Kot]

I remember reading another member's comment the other day --- for the life of me, I can't recall who it was ---- which said as soon as they don't recognise a number calling they immediately cancel or drop it. A bit risky, considering there might be important calls from new contacts coming in, but not entirely unreasonable given heartbreaking stories like this

They could leave a message or text if that important. Plus elderly can be stubborn sometimes, until its too late and the damage is done.

 

[whiteyangel2002]

We don't answer our landline these days (we wait and see if they leave a message)and even our mobile phones when strange looking numbers come up. The only problem is that sometimes we have genuine friends try to ring us and we haven't picked up the phone. You are too scared these days to pick up your phones. Reading the article, i cannot believe that the ANZ bank let the lady complete the transfer without talking to her about it. Especially the large amount involved.

 

[Mrs P]

WHY ? WHY ? WHY ? are people still falling for stupid banking scams...They are nothing new , we old folks can READ & LISTEN we all have been TOLD & TOLD about them... JUST DONT ....Im sorry but surely its not hard to comprehend ....If elderly folk can no longer comprehend then surely they shouldn't be handling any money transfers without ADVICE...Just DONT please...

 

[rehandra]

It's no secret that scams and frauds are rampant these days. With every passing day, fraudsters seem to use a new tactic to prey on everyday Australians.

It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the tricks as con artists and scammers seem to always be one step ahead.

That's why we here at the SDC are dedicated to keeping an eye out for any shady or illegal activity, especially concerning our beloved seniors.

We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the latest scams and frauds to stay safe and protected.

As it turns out, our previous warning about scams and fraudsters has become a reality for a 90-year-old grandmother residing in western Sydney.

View attachment 19797

A 90-year-old grandmother from western Sydney has fallen victim to a heartless computer scam, resulting in the loss of $100,000 to the criminals involved. Credit: Shutterstock.

The elderly resident, who we'll call ‘Brenda’ to protect her privacy, was recently scammed out of $100,000 after she fell victim to a cruel IT-based con.

It all started when Brenda was browsing on her computer at home and noticed a security alert – which she thought was legitimate since it displayed a phone number that she could call to 'fix' the issue.

She made the call, but things soon took an unexpected turn when a woman identified as ‘Jade’ from ‘Apple Security’ picked up the phone on the other end and offered assistance.

Brenda, however, was none the wiser and cooperated as ‘Jade’ started to ‘work’ on the problem.

Jade then told Brenda, who lives in a retirement village, that they owed her a refund of $500 and would need her internet banking details.

Not having used online banking before, ‘Jade’ helped Brenda set up an online account.

Unfortunately, this had a grave consequence - in doing so, the scammers had installed remote access software onto Brenda’s device, meaning they had access to her personal information.

With their newfound access, the scammers told Brenda that they had transferred too many zeros to her account and inadvertently given her a ‘refund’ of $50,000 instead of $500.

In order to ‘rectify’ their mistake, ‘Jade’ told Brenda to go immediately to her bank and transfer the large sum of money into an account labelled ACN Constructions Pty Ltd NSW, citing it as ‘renovations’ if the bank asked why.

Brenda remembered how she felt uneasy with Jade’s insistent tone.

'I was very frightened and scared, and I felt like they were watching me and listening to me,' she shared.

The grandmother followed the scammer's instructions and visited ANZ bank.

Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.

Little did she know, she had just unwittingly transferred $50,000 to the scammers.

However, this is just the beginning of the scam. Jade and another male fraudster contacted her again, this time alleging that the same mistake had been made again.

The scammers were relentless and kept pressuring her to keep the situation under wraps, warning her not to disclose anything to anyone.

Flustered and scared, and so as not to draw attention, Brenda sadly lost another $50,000.

Summoning her courage, the 90-year-old finally confided in her sons about the incident. As soon as Brenda shared what had occurred, her sons recognised that their mother had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.

One of her sons said: 'We were horrified ... Mum has been a customer with ANZ for 60 years. How could they let this happen?'

The grandmother had believed that being without internet banking made her immune to scams. However, what she and her sons didn't know was that these criminals had found a way to hijack her computer.

Brenda also came to the realisation that there were warning signs that she had overlooked. She remembered feeling pressured to act hastily, leaving her with insufficient time to carefully consider the situation.

She remarked: 'People said "Well, why didn't you just hang up", but I was worried they would have kept ringing me. On the Tuesday, they rang me about 18 times.’

According to an ANZ spokesperson, the bank is actively collaborating with other financial institutions, regulators, and the government to tackle this issue and find a viable solution.

The representative said: 'ANZ has robust processes and systems in place to protect our customers against fraud and scams.’

'ANZ will never email, call or text message you, asking for personal information like your password, PIN, one-time password for payments, RSA token, ANZ Shield or ask you to transfer funds into another account.'

Key Takeaways

• A 90-year-old grandmother in Western Sydney lost $100,000 in a cruel computer scam.
• Scammers posed as Apple security and convinced her to set up internet banking, which she had never done before.
• After setting up her account, the scammers had access to her information and convinced her to transfer large sums of money.
• Brenda's family was horrified and warned others to be aware of potential scams.

This frightening story serves as an important reminder to be vigilant when it comes to suspicious emails, texts or security alerts.

Never give out your financial credentials to someone you don’t know, and be cautious about any unsolicited calls or emails.

Always take your time so you can consider any decision carefully.

Finally, if you encounter a scam targeting our members, please let us know so we can alert everyone to be extra careful!

View attachment 19844

Tips for keeping yourself safe from scams. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

Stay safe out there, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can stay on top of this scheme as well.

For those of you who would like to read more about Brenda’s story, we recommend checking out this article.

For ladies of this age surely there should be some training done when they get a computer or mobile phone to make them fully aware of the scammers out there and what to watch out for. Many of this age are very trusting but in this day and age there are too many crooks out there.

 

[rehandra]

We don't answer our landline these days (we wait and see if they leave a message)and even our mobile phones when strange looking numbers come up. The only problem is that sometimes we have genuine friends try to ring us and we haven't picked up the phone. You are too scared these days to pick up your phones. Reading the article, i cannot believe that the ANZ bank let the lady complete the transfer without talking to her about it. Especially the large amount involved.

I agree. In this case and considering the age of the lady they should have asked more questions before they let this transfer go through.

 

[MindyMac]

The banks need to put a 30-60 days protection period so that no monies are transferred. It will help protect people from scammers and the scammers will not get the money. The banks can do this. It's easy for them as well. If people are doing legit transactions, then if the entire world follows suit and this is 'world protection' and companies just have to wait and so do people that own the money, the people & companies will just get use to it. In fact it can protect companies as well from being scammed.

 

[rehandra]

The banks need to put a 30-60 days protection period so that no monies are transferred. It will help protect people from scammers and the scammers will not get the money. The banks can do this. It's easy for them as well. If people are doing legit transactions, then if the entire world follows suit and this is 'world protection' and companies just have to wait and so do people that own the money, the people & companies will just get use to it. In fact it can protect companies as well from being scammed.

Maybe it is time that a close relative is to be advised when a person of this age wants to make a large transfer just to make sure it is legitimate.

 

[Ol Geeza]

It's no secret that scams and frauds are rampant these days. With every passing day, fraudsters seem to use a new tactic to prey on everyday Australians.

It can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the tricks as con artists and scammers seem to always be one step ahead.

That's why we here at the SDC are dedicated to keeping an eye out for any shady or illegal activity, especially concerning our beloved seniors.

We want to ensure that our members are well-informed about the latest scams and frauds to stay safe and protected.

As it turns out, our previous warning about scams and fraudsters has become a reality for a 90-year-old grandmother residing in western Sydney.

View attachment 19797

A 90-year-old grandmother from western Sydney has fallen victim to a heartless computer scam, resulting in the loss of $100,000 to the criminals involved. Credit: Shutterstock.

The elderly resident, who we'll call ‘Brenda’ to protect her privacy, was recently scammed out of $100,000 after she fell victim to a cruel IT-based con.

It all started when Brenda was browsing on her computer at home and noticed a security alert – which she thought was legitimate since it displayed a phone number that she could call to 'fix' the issue.

She made the call, but things soon took an unexpected turn when a woman identified as ‘Jade’ from ‘Apple Security’ picked up the phone on the other end and offered assistance.

Brenda, however, was none the wiser and cooperated as ‘Jade’ started to ‘work’ on the problem.

Jade then told Brenda, who lives in a retirement village, that they owed her a refund of $500 and would need her internet banking details.

Not having used online banking before, ‘Jade’ helped Brenda set up an online account.

Unfortunately, this had a grave consequence - in doing so, the scammers had installed remote access software onto Brenda’s device, meaning they had access to her personal information.

With their newfound access, the scammers told Brenda that they had transferred too many zeros to her account and inadvertently given her a ‘refund’ of $50,000 instead of $500.

In order to ‘rectify’ their mistake, ‘Jade’ told Brenda to go immediately to her bank and transfer the large sum of money into an account labelled ACN Constructions Pty Ltd NSW, citing it as ‘renovations’ if the bank asked why.

Brenda remembered how she felt uneasy with Jade’s insistent tone.

'I was very frightened and scared, and I felt like they were watching me and listening to me,' she shared.

The grandmother followed the scammer's instructions and visited ANZ bank.

Once there, a bank official escorted her to an office and, after performing a few checks, processed the transfer.

Little did she know, she had just unwittingly transferred $50,000 to the scammers.

However, this is just the beginning of the scam. Jade and another male fraudster contacted her again, this time alleging that the same mistake had been made again.

The scammers were relentless and kept pressuring her to keep the situation under wraps, warning her not to disclose anything to anyone.

Flustered and scared, and so as not to draw attention, Brenda sadly lost another $50,000.

Summoning her courage, the 90-year-old finally confided in her sons about the incident. As soon as Brenda shared what had occurred, her sons recognised that their mother had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme.

One of her sons said: 'We were horrified ... Mum has been a customer with ANZ for 60 years. How could they let this happen?'

The grandmother had believed that being without internet banking made her immune to scams. However, what she and her sons didn't know was that these criminals had found a way to hijack her computer.

Brenda also came to the realisation that there were warning signs that she had overlooked. She remembered feeling pressured to act hastily, leaving her with insufficient time to carefully consider the situation.

She remarked: 'People said "Well, why didn't you just hang up", but I was worried they would have kept ringing me. On the Tuesday, they rang me about 18 times.’

According to an ANZ spokesperson, the bank is actively collaborating with other financial institutions, regulators, and the government to tackle this issue and find a viable solution.

The representative said: 'ANZ has robust processes and systems in place to protect our customers against fraud and scams.’

'ANZ will never email, call or text message you, asking for personal information like your password, PIN, one-time password for payments, RSA token, ANZ Shield or ask you to transfer funds into another account.'

Key Takeaways

• A 90-year-old grandmother in Western Sydney lost $100,000 in a cruel computer scam.
• Scammers posed as Apple security and convinced her to set up internet banking, which she had never done before.
• After setting up her account, the scammers had access to her information and convinced her to transfer large sums of money.
• Brenda's family was horrified and warned others to be aware of potential scams.

This frightening story serves as an important reminder to be vigilant when it comes to suspicious emails, texts or security alerts.

Never give out your financial credentials to someone you don’t know, and be cautious about any unsolicited calls or emails.

Always take your time so you can consider any decision carefully.

Finally, if you encounter a scam targeting our members, please let us know so we can alert everyone to be extra careful!

View attachment 19844

Tips for keeping yourself safe from scams. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

Stay safe out there, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones so they can stay on top of this scheme as well.

For those of you who would like to read more about Brenda’s story, we recommend checking out this article.

With all the scamming going on it's a norm in this day and age. Never click on anything thats looks out of place just block it regardless of the amount it claims they owe. I get scammers on a day to day basis. When they call me and ask for my name I say hang on and I will get him for you and just leave the phone in the toilet they soon hang up.