Hacker drains $60,000 from elderly woman's bank account during hospital stay
- Replies 7
In an age where our lives are increasingly intertwined with digital banking and online transactions, the security of our hard-earned money should be paramount.
However, as the distressing experience of a Queensland great-grandmother demonstrates, even the most vigilant can fall victim to cybercriminals' sophisticated tactics.
Deslie Harvey, a 79-year-old great-grandmother, faced a nightmare scenario when hackers, masquerading under her identity, drained nearly $60,000 from her Macquarie Bank savings account.
The ordeal unfolded while she was preoccupied with the care of her ailing husband in the hospital, a time when her focus was understandably elsewhere.
The audacity of the cyber thieves was matched only by the speed of their attack; seven illegal transactions were processed in less than half an hour before the bank flagged the account for 'unusual activity'.
'I was horrified because the whole account had been drained of everything even to the interest ... there was nothing much left in the account at all,' Harvey recounted.
The bank's response, in this case, could have been more satisfactory.
Despite Harvey's prompt notification to the bank upon discovering the fraudulent activity,
Macquarie Bank could only recover a meagre $4623 from an external bank.
Harvey's frustration is palpable as she reflects on the bank's failure to act swiftly and effectively.
'Well, I think Macquarie should be able to admit that they didn't act as well as what they should have and didn't act quick enough.' she said.
The full extent of the identity fraud became clear when Harvey received several bank cards at her home that she had not ordered, including one in another person's name.
Further fraudulent attempts included purchasing $8,000 worth of jewellery and $15,000 worth of mobile phones on eBay, which were thankfully declined.
Other banks involved in the incident, such as Westpac and Judo Bank, demonstrated more robust anti-fraud measures, successfully blocking additional withdrawal attempts.
The emotional toll on Harvey was compounded by the loss of her husband, who passed away in the hospital during this tumultuous period.
Harvey turned to the cyber security service 'I've Been Hacked' to secure her devices and personal information.
Myles Larden, a senior cyber security engineer at the company, has observed a sharp increase in phone hacking incidents.
He emphasised the critical importance of keeping your phone's PIN code secure, warning that 'once they've got access to the phone, they've got access to absolutely everything.'
‘They only need to slip up once to a seemingly innocent party and then have that PIN, and once they've got access to the phone, they've got access to absolutely everything.’
‘There were four banks involved in her case, and three of the banks actively stopped all of the transactions and clawed back anything that was taken except one bank,’
In response to the incident, a Macquarie Bank spokesperson stated that the bank has 'a series of robust fraud and scam controls to protect customer accounts,' including 'extensive alert systems and multi-factor authentication processes.'
However, more than these measures were needed to prevent the theft from Harvey's account.
The Queensland Police are investigating the hacking event, with suspicions centring on someone known to Harvey's family.
In the aftermath, Harvey has reluctantly accepted a compensation offer from Macquarie Bank, which amounts to only a fraction of her lost savings.
'It's quite scary these days. Nothing seems to be really secure,' she lamented.
Have you or someone you know experienced a similar breach in bank security? How did your bank handle the situation? Share your stories and tips in the comments below.
However, as the distressing experience of a Queensland great-grandmother demonstrates, even the most vigilant can fall victim to cybercriminals' sophisticated tactics.
Deslie Harvey, a 79-year-old great-grandmother, faced a nightmare scenario when hackers, masquerading under her identity, drained nearly $60,000 from her Macquarie Bank savings account.
The ordeal unfolded while she was preoccupied with the care of her ailing husband in the hospital, a time when her focus was understandably elsewhere.
Queensland great-grandmother lost nearly $60,000 to an Australian-based hacker. Credit: A Current Affair / Facebook
The audacity of the cyber thieves was matched only by the speed of their attack; seven illegal transactions were processed in less than half an hour before the bank flagged the account for 'unusual activity'.
'I was horrified because the whole account had been drained of everything even to the interest ... there was nothing much left in the account at all,' Harvey recounted.
The bank's response, in this case, could have been more satisfactory.
Despite Harvey's prompt notification to the bank upon discovering the fraudulent activity,
Macquarie Bank could only recover a meagre $4623 from an external bank.
Harvey's frustration is palpable as she reflects on the bank's failure to act swiftly and effectively.
'Well, I think Macquarie should be able to admit that they didn't act as well as what they should have and didn't act quick enough.' she said.
The full extent of the identity fraud became clear when Harvey received several bank cards at her home that she had not ordered, including one in another person's name.
Further fraudulent attempts included purchasing $8,000 worth of jewellery and $15,000 worth of mobile phones on eBay, which were thankfully declined.
Other banks involved in the incident, such as Westpac and Judo Bank, demonstrated more robust anti-fraud measures, successfully blocking additional withdrawal attempts.
The emotional toll on Harvey was compounded by the loss of her husband, who passed away in the hospital during this tumultuous period.
Harvey turned to the cyber security service 'I've Been Hacked' to secure her devices and personal information.
Myles Larden, a senior cyber security engineer at the company, has observed a sharp increase in phone hacking incidents.
He emphasised the critical importance of keeping your phone's PIN code secure, warning that 'once they've got access to the phone, they've got access to absolutely everything.'
‘They only need to slip up once to a seemingly innocent party and then have that PIN, and once they've got access to the phone, they've got access to absolutely everything.’
‘There were four banks involved in her case, and three of the banks actively stopped all of the transactions and clawed back anything that was taken except one bank,’
In response to the incident, a Macquarie Bank spokesperson stated that the bank has 'a series of robust fraud and scam controls to protect customer accounts,' including 'extensive alert systems and multi-factor authentication processes.'
However, more than these measures were needed to prevent the theft from Harvey's account.
The Queensland Police are investigating the hacking event, with suspicions centring on someone known to Harvey's family.
In the aftermath, Harvey has reluctantly accepted a compensation offer from Macquarie Bank, which amounts to only a fraction of her lost savings.
'It's quite scary these days. Nothing seems to be really secure,' she lamented.
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