Beware: Scammer pretending to be bank employee EXPOSED on social media
- Replies 6
Bryce Grylls thought he was well-protected against online fraud. But as it turns out, even the most tech-savvy individuals can become the target of sophisticated scammers.
Bryce, a Queensland resident, was shocked when he received a call from someone claiming to be from Suncorp's financial advice and fraudulent investigation team.
The caller, who went by the name Eric, told Bryce that his credit card was used to purchase cryptocurrency - a red flag for Bryce, who had never made any such transactions.
Unbeknownst to Bryce, this was a classic trick used by cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information. Eric then asked Bryce to go through a 'verification process' to cancel the supposed transactions.
Thankfully, Bryce wasn't about to fall for it. He had received similar calls in the past few days and was determined to uncover the truth, so he recorded the conversation and started asking Eric more questions to verify his identity.
That's when Eric's tone and accent changed. Eric eventually admitted that his job was to scam unsuspecting people, just like Bryce.
'I make a lot of money doing it… I'm not gonna meet them (the victims) once in my life. They get the money back from Suncorp so it's fine,' said the scammer.
The story of Bryce's close encounter with a scammer is a cautionary tale for all of us. It's a reminder that cybercriminals are constantly devising new and more convincing ways to steal our personal information.
And as technology continues to advance, it's up to each and every one of us to stay vigilant and protect ourselves against these online threats.
Professor Paul Haskell-Dowland of Edith Cowan University couldn't help but reflect on the increasing frequency of scams, just like the one recently documented by Grylls.
'They've evolved their practices to the level that they are extremely convincing,' he said.
And despite being a respected cyber security expert, even he wasn't immune to their cunning tactics. 'I've received many of these calls, just like everyone else, and while some are obvious, there are others that are so convincing, you could easily fall for them.'
But what really concerns Professor Haskell-Dowland is the new breed of scams - highly targeted and tailored to the individual.
'These are the ones that are truly dangerous. They are designed to be extremely convincing to even someone who is aware of these kinds of scams,' he warned.
It pays to remember that Suncorp or any other legitimate institution won't ever contact you to ask for personal or financial details, nor will they ask you to transfer money.
What happened to Grylls is called a 'spoofing' scam - a type of fraud where the attacker disguises their identity by making it appear as if a call or message is coming from a legitimate source. This is often done by manipulating the caller ID or email address to match a trustworthy organisation or individual.
For example, in a phone spoofing scam, the attacker might make it appear as if the call is coming from a well-known bank, government agency, or even the victim's own phone number. They might then try to trick the victim into giving up sensitive information, such as their login credentials or credit card information.
That's not all - spoofing scams can also take place via email, where the attacker might impersonate a trusted company or organisation and ask the recipient to click on a link or download an attachment.
These scams can be very convincing, especially if the attacker has done their homework and has access to information about the victim.
It's important to be aware of spoofing scams and to exercise caution when receiving calls or messages from unknown or unexpected sources.
Members, if you do receive a call of a suspicious nature, don't jump to any conclusions and certainly don't give away any of your private information.
That's because if it sounds too good to be true, well...you know the rest. A little bit of caution goes a long way and also helps protect yourself and your finances from potential fraudulent attacks.
Be on your guard, and as always good luck!
Bryce, a Queensland resident, was shocked when he received a call from someone claiming to be from Suncorp's financial advice and fraudulent investigation team.
The caller, who went by the name Eric, told Bryce that his credit card was used to purchase cryptocurrency - a red flag for Bryce, who had never made any such transactions.
Unbeknownst to Bryce, this was a classic trick used by cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information. Eric then asked Bryce to go through a 'verification process' to cancel the supposed transactions.
Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the tactics they use to ensnare victims. Credit: Unsplash/Hannah Wei.
Thankfully, Bryce wasn't about to fall for it. He had received similar calls in the past few days and was determined to uncover the truth, so he recorded the conversation and started asking Eric more questions to verify his identity.
That's when Eric's tone and accent changed. Eric eventually admitted that his job was to scam unsuspecting people, just like Bryce.
'I make a lot of money doing it… I'm not gonna meet them (the victims) once in my life. They get the money back from Suncorp so it's fine,' said the scammer.
The story of Bryce's close encounter with a scammer is a cautionary tale for all of us. It's a reminder that cybercriminals are constantly devising new and more convincing ways to steal our personal information.
And as technology continues to advance, it's up to each and every one of us to stay vigilant and protect ourselves against these online threats.
Professor Paul Haskell-Dowland of Edith Cowan University couldn't help but reflect on the increasing frequency of scams, just like the one recently documented by Grylls.
'They've evolved their practices to the level that they are extremely convincing,' he said.
And despite being a respected cyber security expert, even he wasn't immune to their cunning tactics. 'I've received many of these calls, just like everyone else, and while some are obvious, there are others that are so convincing, you could easily fall for them.'
But what really concerns Professor Haskell-Dowland is the new breed of scams - highly targeted and tailored to the individual.
'These are the ones that are truly dangerous. They are designed to be extremely convincing to even someone who is aware of these kinds of scams,' he warned.
It pays to remember that Suncorp or any other legitimate institution won't ever contact you to ask for personal or financial details, nor will they ask you to transfer money.
For example, in a phone spoofing scam, the attacker might make it appear as if the call is coming from a well-known bank, government agency, or even the victim's own phone number. They might then try to trick the victim into giving up sensitive information, such as their login credentials or credit card information.
Spoofing scams can also happen through email, where the scammer may pose as a trusted company or organisation. Credit: Pexels/Burst.
That's not all - spoofing scams can also take place via email, where the attacker might impersonate a trusted company or organisation and ask the recipient to click on a link or download an attachment.
These scams can be very convincing, especially if the attacker has done their homework and has access to information about the victim.
It's important to be aware of spoofing scams and to exercise caution when receiving calls or messages from unknown or unexpected sources.
Members, if you do receive a call of a suspicious nature, don't jump to any conclusions and certainly don't give away any of your private information.
That's because if it sounds too good to be true, well...you know the rest. A little bit of caution goes a long way and also helps protect yourself and your finances from potential fraudulent attacks.
Be on your guard, and as always good luck!
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