Businesswoman scammed out of $42,000 in seconds: could this text message be a threat to you too?

'Be Alert, Not Alarmed' is a mantra we know. This slogan doesn't just apply to pesky telemarketing or junk mail scams.

In this digital age, where convenience often beats caution, we need to protect ourselves against a rising tide of online criminals.



This brings us to the saga of Savannah Jackson, a businesswoman from Queenstown, New Zealand. She mentioned that she is typically ‘hyper-aware’ and exercises caution regarding texts from potential scammers.

But on June 22, Savannah was caught off-guard. A seemingly ordinary text message claimed her bank, Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), had authorised a new device for her account.


smartphone-gae2c89a47_1280.jpg
Scams through text messages have become increasingly prevalent, with fraudsters attempting to deceive unsuspecting individuals through schemes such as phishing, fake prizes, or urgent requests for personal information. Image by Pexels from pixabay



She said, ‘I am the only one that uses this account, so I stupidly clicked on the page, and as soon as I did it, I said “Oh f***”.’

Caught in a moment of weakness, Savannah clicked the embedded link, instantly punching a $42,000 hole in her savings.



‘Normally, I’m hyper-aware of these things, but I was busy at work and clicked on the link, it went to an official-looking BNZ bank page.’ Jackson said.

The horrifying truth is the speed of the theft; in less time than it takes for your coffee to cool, your life savings could evaporate.

As Savannah recounts, ‘It was $42,000. All the money for my GST, my staff wages to pay, my creditors, everything was gone within literally a couple of minutes.’

Without delay, Jackson promptly contacted her bank, and while she awaited assistance on hold, the bank's fraud department reached out to her regarding suspicious activity detected on her account.

She said, ‘They saw all the funds in my accounts transferred to (international currency transfer and payment company) Wise and were calling me to check if I had done the transfer.’




compressed-photo-1611746869696-d09bce200020.jpeg
It is crucial to stay vigilant and exercise caution when receiving text messages from unfamiliar sources to protect oneself from falling victim to these scams. Image by ademay from unsplash



‘The fraud agent told me that they had flagged the transaction as a possible fraud theft but that the bank had already let the transfer go through.’

Within minutes, the funds from Jackson's business account were swiftly depleted and transferred to a third-party company called Wise, formerly known as Transfer Wise.

Jackson conveyed her dissatisfaction with the bank for permitting the transaction to proceed initially.

Jackson shared, ‘I can’t understand how a major bank like BNZ and their fraud department can’t get through to a major international funds transfer company.’

Key Takeaways
  • A businesswoman named Savannah Jackson lost $42,000 after falling victim to a phishing scam.
  • A text message alerted her that a 'new device had been added to her account', which turned out to be a fraudulent claim.
  • She immediately contacted the bank about the suspicious activity but was informed that the fraudulent transaction had already gone through.
  • Jackson expressed disappointment that the bank allowed the transaction to go through.



So, how can we guard ourselves? Well, first and foremost, treat every unexpected mail, text, or call that involves financial transactions with suspicion.

Remember, even a seemingly harmless text like the one Savannah received can have disastrous consequences!

Members, have any of you encountered similar messages? Share your experiences and let us know how you stay vigilant against such scams.
 
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'Be Alert, Not Alarmed' is a mantra we know. This slogan doesn't just apply to pesky telemarketing or junk mail scams.

In this digital age, where convenience often beats caution, we need to protect ourselves against a rising tide of online criminals.



This brings us to the saga of Savannah Jackson, a businesswoman from Queenstown, New Zealand. She mentioned that she is typically ‘hyper-aware’ and exercises caution regarding texts from potential scammers.

But on June 22, Savannah was caught off-guard. A seemingly ordinary text message claimed her bank, Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), had authorised a new device for her account.


View attachment 24472
Scams through text messages have become increasingly prevalent, with fraudsters attempting to deceive unsuspecting individuals through schemes such as phishing, fake prizes, or urgent requests for personal information. Image by Pexels from pixabay



She said, ‘I am the only one that uses this account, so I stupidly clicked on the page, and as soon as I did it, I said “Oh f***”.’

Caught in a moment of weakness, Savannah clicked the embedded link, instantly punching a $42,000 hole in her savings.



‘Normally, I’m hyper-aware of these things, but I was busy at work and clicked on the link, it went to an official-looking BNZ bank page.’ Jackson said.

The horrifying truth is the speed of the theft; in less time than it takes for your coffee to cool, your life savings could evaporate.

As Savannah recounts, ‘It was $42,000. All the money for my GST, my staff wages to pay, my creditors, everything was gone within literally a couple of minutes.’

Without delay, Jackson promptly contacted her bank, and while she awaited assistance on hold, the bank's fraud department reached out to her regarding suspicious activity detected on her account.

She said, ‘They saw all the funds in my accounts transferred to (international currency transfer and payment company) Wise and were calling me to check if I had done the transfer.’




View attachment 24473
It is crucial to stay vigilant and exercise caution when receiving text messages from unfamiliar sources to protect oneself from falling victim to these scams. Image by ademay from unsplash



‘The fraud agent told me that they had flagged the transaction as a possible fraud theft but that the bank had already let the transfer go through.’

Within minutes, the funds from Jackson's business account were swiftly depleted and transferred to a third-party company called Wise, formerly known as Transfer Wise.

Jackson conveyed her dissatisfaction with the bank for permitting the transaction to proceed initially.

Jackson shared, ‘I can’t understand how a major bank like BNZ and their fraud department can’t get through to a major international funds transfer company.’

Key Takeaways

  • A businesswoman named Savannah Jackson lost $42,000 after falling victim to a phishing scam.
  • A text message alerted her that a 'new device had been added to her account', which turned out to be a fraudulent claim.
  • She immediately contacted the bank about the suspicious activity but was informed that the fraudulent transaction had already gone through.
  • Jackson expressed disappointment that the bank allowed the transaction to go through.



So, how can we guard ourselves? Well, first and foremost, treat every unexpected mail, text, or call that involves financial transactions with suspicion.

Remember, even a seemingly harmless text like the one Savannah received can have disastrous consequences!

Members, have any of you encountered similar messages? Share your experiences and let us know how you stay vigilant against such scams.
Can't really blame the bank if YOU click on a link!
 
'Be Alert, Not Alarmed' is a mantra we know. This slogan doesn't just apply to pesky telemarketing or junk mail scams.

In this digital age, where convenience often beats caution, we need to protect ourselves against a rising tide of online criminals.



This brings us to the saga of Savannah Jackson, a businesswoman from Queenstown, New Zealand. She mentioned that she is typically ‘hyper-aware’ and exercises caution regarding texts from potential scammers.

But on June 22, Savannah was caught off-guard. A seemingly ordinary text message claimed her bank, Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), had authorised a new device for her account.


View attachment 24472
Scams through text messages have become increasingly prevalent, with fraudsters attempting to deceive unsuspecting individuals through schemes such as phishing, fake prizes, or urgent requests for personal information. Image by Pexels from pixabay



She said, ‘I am the only one that uses this account, so I stupidly clicked on the page, and as soon as I did it, I said “Oh f***”.’

Caught in a moment of weakness, Savannah clicked the embedded link, instantly punching a $42,000 hole in her savings.



‘Normally, I’m hyper-aware of these things, but I was busy at work and clicked on the link, it went to an official-looking BNZ bank page.’ Jackson said.

The horrifying truth is the speed of the theft; in less time than it takes for your coffee to cool, your life savings could evaporate.

As Savannah recounts, ‘It was $42,000. All the money for my GST, my staff wages to pay, my creditors, everything was gone within literally a couple of minutes.’

Without delay, Jackson promptly contacted her bank, and while she awaited assistance on hold, the bank's fraud department reached out to her regarding suspicious activity detected on her account.

She said, ‘They saw all the funds in my accounts transferred to (international currency transfer and payment company) Wise and were calling me to check if I had done the transfer.’




View attachment 24473
It is crucial to stay vigilant and exercise caution when receiving text messages from unfamiliar sources to protect oneself from falling victim to these scams. Image by ademay from unsplash



‘The fraud agent told me that they had flagged the transaction as a possible fraud theft but that the bank had already let the transfer go through.’

Within minutes, the funds from Jackson's business account were swiftly depleted and transferred to a third-party company called Wise, formerly known as Transfer Wise.

Jackson conveyed her dissatisfaction with the bank for permitting the transaction to proceed initially.

Jackson shared, ‘I can’t understand how a major bank like BNZ and their fraud department can’t get through to a major international funds transfer company.’

Key Takeaways

  • A businesswoman named Savannah Jackson lost $42,000 after falling victim to a phishing scam.
  • A text message alerted her that a 'new device had been added to her account', which turned out to be a fraudulent claim.
  • She immediately contacted the bank about the suspicious activity but was informed that the fraudulent transaction had already gone through.
  • Jackson expressed disappointment that the bank allowed the transaction to go through.



So, how can we guard ourselves? Well, first and foremost, treat every unexpected mail, text, or call that involves financial transactions with suspicion.

Remember, even a seemingly harmless text like the one Savannah received can have disastrous consequences!

Members, have any of you encountered similar messages? Share your experiences and let us know how you stay vigilant against such scams.
Yes I have. Recently I received an email, up the top where it tells you who it is from it had STORAGE. Said my storage was full & I could have an extra free 50gb if I wanted it as my storage was full. I rang APPLE they looked into it. It was a scam he showed me that I had plenty of storage & how to check who the email was actually from. Up the top it should have had the word APPLE no STORAGE! You have to be so careful these days. If you are not sure ring the person or company it is supposed to have come from! Also I received two messages recently about my parcel has been held up. I just delete them!
 
Yes I have. Recently I received an email, up the top where it tells you who it is from it had STORAGE. Said my storage was full & I could have an extra free 50gb if I wanted it as my storage was full. I rang APPLE they looked into it. It was a scam he showed me that I had plenty of storage & how to check who the email was actually from. Up the top it should have had the word APPLE no STORAGE! You have to be so careful these days. If you are not sure ring the person or company it is supposed to have come from! Also I received two messages recently about my parcel has been held up. I just delete them!
Exactly!! How hard would it be to contact the bank to confirm the email before clicking it?
 
Yes I have. Recently I received an email, up the top where it tells you who it is from it had STORAGE. Said my storage was full & I could have an extra free 50gb if I wanted it as my storage was full. I rang APPLE they looked into it. It was a scam he showed me that I had plenty of storage & how to check who the email was actually from. Up the top it should have had the word APPLE no STORAGE! You have to be so careful these days. If you are not sure ring the person or company it is supposed to have come from! Also I received two messages recently about my parcel has been held up. I just delete them!
I got the same message. Only I'm not with Apple. Didn't look right when my Email was spelt wrong.
 
Yes I have. Recently I received an email, up the top where it tells you who it is from it had STORAGE. Said my storage was full & I could have an extra free 50gb if I wanted it as my storage was full. I rang APPLE they looked into it. It was a scam he showed me that I had plenty of storage & how to check who the email was actually from. Up the top it should have had the word APPLE no STORAGE! You have to be so careful these days. If you are not sure ring the person or company it is supposed to have come from! Also I received two messages recently about my parcel has been held up. I just delete them!
I get about three of these storage scams per day and now hit the unsubscribe button a couple of hundred times. Next day they come from a different email address. Can't win so just mark them all spam you then know.
 
Rule no. 1: NEVER NEVER NEVER click on a link from an SMS message or email without checking.
Rule no. 2: NEVER NEVER NEVER click on a link from an SMS message or email without checking.
Rule no. 3: NEVER NEVER NEVER click on a link from an SMS message or email without checking.
Rule no. 4 . . . . . . . . . .
 
'Be Alert, Not Alarmed' is a mantra we know. This slogan doesn't just apply to pesky telemarketing or junk mail scams.

In this digital age, where convenience often beats caution, we need to protect ourselves against a rising tide of online criminals.



This brings us to the saga of Savannah Jackson, a businesswoman from Queenstown, New Zealand. She mentioned that she is typically ‘hyper-aware’ and exercises caution regarding texts from potential scammers.

But on June 22, Savannah was caught off-guard. A seemingly ordinary text message claimed her bank, Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), had authorised a new device for her account.


View attachment 24472
Scams through text messages have become increasingly prevalent, with fraudsters attempting to deceive unsuspecting individuals through schemes such as phishing, fake prizes, or urgent requests for personal information. Image by Pexels from pixabay



She said, ‘I am the only one that uses this account, so I stupidly clicked on the page, and as soon as I did it, I said “Oh f***”.’

Caught in a moment of weakness, Savannah clicked the embedded link, instantly punching a $42,000 hole in her savings.



‘Normally, I’m hyper-aware of these things, but I was busy at work and clicked on the link, it went to an official-looking BNZ bank page.’ Jackson said.

The horrifying truth is the speed of the theft; in less time than it takes for your coffee to cool, your life savings could evaporate.

As Savannah recounts, ‘It was $42,000. All the money for my GST, my staff wages to pay, my creditors, everything was gone within literally a couple of minutes.’

Without delay, Jackson promptly contacted her bank, and while she awaited assistance on hold, the bank's fraud department reached out to her regarding suspicious activity detected on her account.

She said, ‘They saw all the funds in my accounts transferred to (international currency transfer and payment company) Wise and were calling me to check if I had done the transfer.’




View attachment 24473
It is crucial to stay vigilant and exercise caution when receiving text messages from unfamiliar sources to protect oneself from falling victim to these scams. Image by ademay from unsplash



‘The fraud agent told me that they had flagged the transaction as a possible fraud theft but that the bank had already let the transfer go through.’

Within minutes, the funds from Jackson's business account were swiftly depleted and transferred to a third-party company called Wise, formerly known as Transfer Wise.

Jackson conveyed her dissatisfaction with the bank for permitting the transaction to proceed initially.

Jackson shared, ‘I can’t understand how a major bank like BNZ and their fraud department can’t get through to a major international funds transfer company.’

Key Takeaways

  • A businesswoman named Savannah Jackson lost $42,000 after falling victim to a phishing scam.
  • A text message alerted her that a 'new device had been added to her account', which turned out to be a fraudulent claim.
  • She immediately contacted the bank about the suspicious activity but was informed that the fraudulent transaction had already gone through.
  • Jackson expressed disappointment that the bank allowed the transaction to go through.



So, how can we guard ourselves? Well, first and foremost, treat every unexpected mail, text, or call that involves financial transactions with suspicion.

Remember, even a seemingly harmless text like the one Savannah received can have disastrous consequences!

Members, have any of you encountered similar messages? Share your experiences and let us know how you stay vigilant against such scams.
Yes I have, but I took the message to the bank to check, and it was a scam. I was told to take a screen shot and send it to the bank scam team, which I did as it gives them an idea of what is happening.
 
I keep a separate bank account for online transactions, with a maximum of $200. If I need more, I'll transfer it a couple of minutes beforehand. Plus, I never use my phone for banking.
 
And the Banks are scamming us left, right and center as well with all the extra charges and using our funds to derive profit from using it else where.
 
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What is the point of a bank "Flagging" a transaction suspicious, if they are going to release the funds immediately anyway ? And given that once "Flagged" no preventative action was taken, they have the audacity to email the customer AFTER THE FACT to alert them that they think it might have been a scam.
I'm sorry, but I think the banks can do better. Shame on them.
 
I have been receiving daily multiple emails supposedly from JB HiFi, Kogan, Bunnings etc etc, claiming I have won some fantastic prize. I don’t even read them, just see the word PRIZE and delete straight away. Scammers will try anything but they will be hard pressed to rip me off.
 
Exactly!! How hard would it be to contact the bank to confirm the email before clicking it?
I did that the other day when we got an email from the Bendigo Bank offering us a deal for no bank fees. it turned out to be legit but I was taking no chances. The guy in the bank was super helpful and said we had done the right thing
 
People blame the banks for transferring money to scammers, except the customer approved it - not the bank.
My hubby and I have been woken up during the night with our bank detecting someone trying to withdrawal from our account. The bank blocked it and was letting us know. Of course this is completely different to people giving the approval to scammers.
 

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