'My daughter was disgusted': Woman shares disheartening experience after losing savings
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In an age where online banking has become as common as a morning cuppa, the risks of cybercrime loom large.
It's a harsh reality that scams could hit anyone, but when they target seniors, the blow could be especially devastating.
This was the case for Janet Moore, an 86-year-old pensioner from the Gold Coast, who fell victim to a ruthless scam that drained her bank account.
Janet had embraced the convenience of managing her finances online.
However, one Sunday, she found herself locked out of her Bendigo Bank account.
Her suspicions were confirmed when a bank teller informed her that her account had been compromised.
This discovery was the beginning of a distressing ordeal that would see Ms Moore grappling with the bank's management.
The scammers went through Ms Moore's account and made two large transactions totalling $10,000.
The funds were supposedly for her mortgage redraw facility, as she aimed to keep her mortgage interest down.
The emotional toll was compounded by the bank's response—or lack thereof.
Ms Moore and her daughter, Julie-Ann, were met with a disheartening customer service experience when they visited their local Bendigo Bank for help.
Instead of receiving immediate and private assistance, they were forced to discuss the matter in the open.
'My daughter was disgusted,' Ms Moore stated in an interview.
The saga continued with the bank's inadequate follow-up, as they repeatedly called Janet's now-defunct landline.
'They've blamed me all the way through. They keep on about a third person involved,' Ms Moore lamented further.
'Because of my age, my daughter's name is on my bank account. They were trying to say it was probably her that did it.'
When the bank finally responded, they reportedly traced the activity and retrieved a sum of 40 cents.
The sum was nothing compared to the $10,000 Ms Moore lost.
After several complaints from Ms Moore, the bank offered a $ 2,000 'goodwill gesture', with the condition that Janet should accept fault for the incident.
'I'm not letting go. I'm like a terrier,' Ms Moore insisted.
'If I were guilty, I wouldn't be doing this; $10,000 is a lot of money.'
While Bendigo Bank closed this case, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) forced the bank to reopen it after the Moore family's complaints.
In the United Kingdom, a new legislation ensured that scam victims should be compensated within five business days unless gross negligence is involved.
Meanwhile in Australia, the AFCA has a low rate of ordering full reimbursement for scam victims, with only 4.8 per cent of cases resulting in banks compensating the full amount lost to scams.
Janet's story should be a stark reminder of the vulnerability that comes with the digital age.
It also highlighted the need for banks to review their regulations when it comes to protecting their customers from cybercrime.
It's a reminder to be vigilant with our online security and to question and verify before we click.
Have you or someone you know experienced this kind of distress after a scam? Share your stories with us in the comments section below.
It's a harsh reality that scams could hit anyone, but when they target seniors, the blow could be especially devastating.
This was the case for Janet Moore, an 86-year-old pensioner from the Gold Coast, who fell victim to a ruthless scam that drained her bank account.
Janet had embraced the convenience of managing her finances online.
However, one Sunday, she found herself locked out of her Bendigo Bank account.
There has been a proposal that banks, telcos, and social media sites need to work on their security to avoid scams. Image Credit: Pexels/Mikhail Nilov
Her suspicions were confirmed when a bank teller informed her that her account had been compromised.
This discovery was the beginning of a distressing ordeal that would see Ms Moore grappling with the bank's management.
The scammers went through Ms Moore's account and made two large transactions totalling $10,000.
The funds were supposedly for her mortgage redraw facility, as she aimed to keep her mortgage interest down.
The emotional toll was compounded by the bank's response—or lack thereof.
Ms Moore and her daughter, Julie-Ann, were met with a disheartening customer service experience when they visited their local Bendigo Bank for help.
Instead of receiving immediate and private assistance, they were forced to discuss the matter in the open.
'My daughter was disgusted,' Ms Moore stated in an interview.
The saga continued with the bank's inadequate follow-up, as they repeatedly called Janet's now-defunct landline.
'They've blamed me all the way through. They keep on about a third person involved,' Ms Moore lamented further.
'Because of my age, my daughter's name is on my bank account. They were trying to say it was probably her that did it.'
When the bank finally responded, they reportedly traced the activity and retrieved a sum of 40 cents.
The sum was nothing compared to the $10,000 Ms Moore lost.
After several complaints from Ms Moore, the bank offered a $ 2,000 'goodwill gesture', with the condition that Janet should accept fault for the incident.
'I'm not letting go. I'm like a terrier,' Ms Moore insisted.
'If I were guilty, I wouldn't be doing this; $10,000 is a lot of money.'
While Bendigo Bank closed this case, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) forced the bank to reopen it after the Moore family's complaints.
In the United Kingdom, a new legislation ensured that scam victims should be compensated within five business days unless gross negligence is involved.
Meanwhile in Australia, the AFCA has a low rate of ordering full reimbursement for scam victims, with only 4.8 per cent of cases resulting in banks compensating the full amount lost to scams.
Janet's story should be a stark reminder of the vulnerability that comes with the digital age.
It also highlighted the need for banks to review their regulations when it comes to protecting their customers from cybercrime.
It's a reminder to be vigilant with our online security and to question and verify before we click.
