Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life, especially for a bride-to-be. It's a day that is filled with joy and anticipation, and most brides spend a significant amount of time and effort in planning every detail, from selecting the perfect dress and venue to curating the guest list.

In many cases, couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.

While the cost of a wedding can vary, many brides consider it a worthwhile investment in creating a memorable experience that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

That’s why it’s no secret that many couples are tirelessly brainstorming ways to save money to prepare for their big day.

But for one 30-year-old Melbourne woman, those dreams were dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000 that she’d been saving for her wedding day.

Stephanie Hoggan became engaged to Matty, 30, in May 2022. The couple had been saving up for their dream wedding since November.

However, the couple’s nightmare began when Stephanie received an unsolicited text message during a particularly busy day at work.

A phone banking fraud cost Stephanie Hoggan, 30, $40,000 she had saved for her wedding. Credit: Facebook.

'It stated that I’d authorised $900 to be paid to this person, but if it wasn’t me then I should let them know,' the bride-to-be recalled.

'It had a number to call, so, of course, I called it - I didn’t want to lose that money.'

When Stephanie called the number, she spoke to a man with a British accent claiming to be from the National Australia Bank (NAB).

Stephanie said she felt that the man sounded calm and professional - nothing like the typical scammer she had heard about.

He was so convincing that the bride-to-be gave away more than $40,000 of her savings, believing that it was going to a different NAB account the scammer created to safeguard her savings.

But after returning home from work and realising something was off, she called NAB only to be told that her money had already been transferred to an account with the Commonwealth Bank.

It was then that Stephanie realised that a genuine NAB phone call would open with the line 'Welcome to NAB', not 'Welcome to National Australia Bank', as the automated message on her call had done.

NAB confirmed that it is investigating the case. However, it was later revealed that there is nothing they can do to retrieve the funds.

The bank did, however, provide Stephanie with $10,000 compensation.

Although Stephanie appreciated NAB’s compensation, she is still urging banks to step up their game to help protect their customers.

'I was thankful that I still had money left over to pay for my bills and my home,' she said.

NAB is alerting customers of a new scam. Credit: Pexels/Tara Winstead.

The incident came after NAB warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, as a new PayID impersonation scam has emerged.

Scammers pretend to be representatives from PayID and target people selling items on the internet, telling them payment for their sold items has been withheld and advising victims to transfer additional payment.

NAB Executive Group Executive and Fraud, Chris Sheehan, states that PayID deception is the latest impersonation scam targeting Australians, and the number of people affected is expected to be higher since many cases are not reported.

Mr Sheehan said: ‘Just as online marketplaces have replaced garage sales as the go-to option to sell second-hand items, the way we make and receive payments is also changing.’

'PayID is a relatively new payment method and is quick, safe and simple. It is also free - and the biggest red flag of any PayID-related scam is often if someone asks you for money to upgrade an account or to access PayID.’

'Cybercriminals are sophisticated and we're unfortunately now seeing them try to exploit PayID given, on the whole, it isn't as familiar to the community as other ways to send and receive money.'

'If you receive one of these, it is a scam.’

Key Takeaways

• Many couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.
• However, for one bride-to-be, her dream wedding was dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000.
• Stephanie was duped by a scammer who pretended to be from the National Australia Bank and gave away her savings believing it was going to a different NAB account.
• NAB has warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, and to report any possible scam to their bank and the police immediately.

Members, it’s heart-breaking that Stephanie lost her hard-saved money to a scam artist. However, her story just goes to show how important it is to stay alert and look out for signs of an online scam.

Remember, always do your own research, ask questions, and never send money to someone you don’t know.

If you feel like you encountered a scammer or have been scammed, we encourage you to alert your bank and the police immediately about the incident.

We also advise reporting it to ScamWatch Australia, so others can be informed about the incident as well.

Stay safe out there, folks!

 

[Aussie all the Way]

No it can't happen to anyone , it only happens to people who don't listen, or learn. Banks DON'T ever tell you to transfer the rest of your money into a new account over the phone, don't tell you to do anything over the phone, sorry for her loss BUT she was STUPID.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I ignore all the text and emails I receive.
With emails I bever reply or open attachments but what I do if I think in the slightest that it could be from an legitimate person , I click on reply and there you will see the return email is not who they say they are.

I ignore all and if the bank needs to send me a message it will be done through my netball or regular post

 

[BJM]

Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life, especially for a bride-to-be. It's a day that is filled with joy and anticipation, and most brides spend a significant amount of time and effort in planning every detail, from selecting the perfect dress and venue to curating the guest list.

In many cases, couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.

While the cost of a wedding can vary, many brides consider it a worthwhile investment in creating a memorable experience that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

That’s why it’s no secret that many couples are tirelessly brainstorming ways to save money to prepare for their big day.

But for one 30-year-old Melbourne woman, those dreams were dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000 that she’d been saving for her wedding day.

Stephanie Hoggan became engaged to Matty, 30, in May 2022. The couple had been saving up for their dream wedding since November.

However, the couple’s nightmare began when Stephanie received an unsolicited text message during a particularly busy day at work.

A phone banking fraud cost Stephanie Hoggan, 30, $40,000 she had saved for her wedding. Credit: Facebook.

'It stated that I’d authorised $900 to be paid to this person, but if it wasn’t me then I should let them know,' the bride-to-be recalled.

'It had a number to call, so, of course, I called it - I didn’t want to lose that money.'

When Stephanie called the number, she spoke to a man with a British accent claiming to be from the National Australia Bank (NAB).

Stephanie said she felt that the man sounded calm and professional - nothing like the typical scammer she had heard about.

He was so convincing that the bride-to-be gave away more than $40,000 of her savings, believing that it was going to a different NAB account the scammer created to safeguard her savings.

But after returning home from work and realising something was off, she called NAB only to be told that her money had already been transferred to an account with the Commonwealth Bank.

It was then that Stephanie realised that a genuine NAB phone call would open with the line 'Welcome to NAB', not 'Welcome to National Australia Bank', as the automated message on her call had done.

NAB confirmed that it is investigating the case. However, it was later revealed that there is nothing they can do to retrieve the funds.

The bank did, however, provide Stephanie with $10,000 compensation.

Although Stephanie appreciated NAB’s compensation, she is still urging banks to step up their game to help protect their customers.

'I was thankful that I still had money left over to pay for my bills and my home,' she said.

NAB is alerting customers of a new scam. Credit: Pexels/Tara Winstead.

The incident came after NAB warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, as a new PayID impersonation scam has emerged.

Scammers pretend to be representatives from PayID and target people selling items on the internet, telling them payment for their sold items has been withheld and advising victims to transfer additional payment.

NAB Executive Group Executive and Fraud, Chris Sheehan, states that PayID deception is the latest impersonation scam targeting Australians, and the number of people affected is expected to be higher since many cases are not reported.

Mr Sheehan said: ‘Just as online marketplaces have replaced garage sales as the go-to option to sell second-hand items, the way we make and receive payments is also changing.’

'PayID is a relatively new payment method and is quick, safe and simple. It is also free - and the biggest red flag of any PayID-related scam is often if someone asks you for money to upgrade an account or to access PayID.’

'Cybercriminals are sophisticated and we're unfortunately now seeing them try to exploit PayID given, on the whole, it isn't as familiar to the community as other ways to send and receive money.'

'If you receive one of these, it is a scam.’

Key Takeaways

• Many couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.
• However, for one bride-to-be, her dream wedding was dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000.
• Stephanie was duped by a scammer who pretended to be from the National Australia Bank and gave away her savings believing it was going to a different NAB account.
• NAB has warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, and to report any possible scam to their bank and the police immediately.

Members, it’s heart-breaking that Stephanie lost her hard-saved money to a scam artist. However, her story just goes to show how important it is to stay alert and look out for signs of an online scam.

Remember, always do your own research, ask questions, and never send money to someone you don’t know.

If you feel like you encountered a scammer or have been scammed, we encourage you to alert your bank and the police immediately about the incident.

We also advise reporting it to ScamWatch Australia, so others can be informed about the incident as well.

Stay safe out there, folks!

I don’t know why banks say “there is nothing they can do”, what a load of …,. Banks have insurance for this type of scam/ fraud. They only want to fork out with the minimum amount they can - it’s all about the banks profit. Maybe the ombudsman needs to be contacted.

 

[Macarj]

Why are people still using phone no's sent in a text when will they learn

 

[Hemgie61]

The scams are very sophisticated. Some are saying to just ignore the messages, but here’s a scenario that happened to me 3 weeks ago. When I received an SMS from the supposedly ANZ bank that my Debit card might have been compromised and to reply 1 if I authorized the use of this card for a transaction to a certain website for a certain amount, and 0 if that was not me, I checked my internet banking and indeed, 2 payments of $1.37 each were taken from my account from 2 different web addresses. Of course I would reply 0 it wasn’t me, but that’s when it got tricky. Another message popped up from another number saying thank you and that someone from the bank will contact me within the next 30 minutes. Now, the amounts the first SMS messages mentioned were about $900 and $750, but I was lucky to only have 5 bucks on that account because I only transfer to the card when I need to use it. I use 2 debit cards but have other accounts with no cards on which I split my money for my budgets but only transfer to the cards when using them. Otherwise I would have lost $900 or more. They tried a small amount to see if the card works when the bigger amount was declined which is why I lost $1.37 and they tried it twice.
So I got a call. She said all the ANZ bank jargons you hear when the bank calls you. She wanted me to confirm a list of payment transactions if they were done by me. I said no I didn’t do any transaction today. Funny she wanted me to confirm for each of them first before she could send me a new card. I said there’s no need going through all of them as I said I didn’t do any transaction today. That’s when I knew she was not the bank. I said that I would need to check all these on my account to which she insisted to do that and she will give me a call back. I said, to please give her number I will check if it’s indeed the bank and will call back myself. She gave me the number but still said she will give me a call back. lol.
I hung up and checked and indeed it was a genuine bank number. That’s where we should not get fooled. She did give me a genuine bank number so I believe it’s the bank. Checking with the bank later they confirmed it’s them but it didn’t mean it was them calling, just their number, these scammers can call you from any displayed number or give you a genuine bank number to fool you. What I did say to that scammer, who said they’ve blocked my card as it’s been suspected to have been compromised, I said then just send me a new card, no need go through all these transactions as they were declined anyway.
As soon as I hung up I went to Woolies and put $10 on the card for a purchase which worked so I knew the card wasn’t blocked as she said.
I called the bank from a number on their website and within 5 minutes they blocked this card and issued me a new one, which I got in the mail a week later. That scammer never called again as she realized I knew she was a scammer. It was just logic but you’ve got to use your brain there as they make it sound as genuine as. Even after speaking with the bank, confirming it was their number, one could believe that scammer was therefore the bank and fall in the trap. I didn’t pursue with the bank about the 2 debits of $1.37 as they are just peanuts, but the bank should get their acts together as had i have money kept on that account, I would have lost it. Also, do not use your card to purchase online unless you trust the seller. I never trusted purchasing from Ebay and I only just used that card to purchase a spectacle frame from EBay and 2 weeks later that card was compromised. Interesting. I have a credit card I only use where I tap the card and not where I need to enter the card number because the credit card will most of the time have money on it.

 

[MaggieAmalia]

Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life, especially for a bride-to-be. It's a day that is filled with joy and anticipation, and most brides spend a significant amount of time and effort in planning every detail, from selecting the perfect dress and venue to curating the guest list.

In many cases, couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.

While the cost of a wedding can vary, many brides consider it a worthwhile investment in creating a memorable experience that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

That’s why it’s no secret that many couples are tirelessly brainstorming ways to save money to prepare for their big day.

But for one 30-year-old Melbourne woman, those dreams were dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000 that she’d been saving for her wedding day.

Stephanie Hoggan became engaged to Matty, 30, in May 2022. The couple had been saving up for their dream wedding since November.

However, the couple’s nightmare began when Stephanie received an unsolicited text message during a particularly busy day at work.

A phone banking fraud cost Stephanie Hoggan, 30, $40,000 she had saved for her wedding. Credit: Facebook.

'It stated that I’d authorised $900 to be paid to this person, but if it wasn’t me then I should let them know,' the bride-to-be recalled.

'It had a number to call, so, of course, I called it - I didn’t want to lose that money.'

When Stephanie called the number, she spoke to a man with a British accent claiming to be from the National Australia Bank (NAB).

Stephanie said she felt that the man sounded calm and professional - nothing like the typical scammer she had heard about.

He was so convincing that the bride-to-be gave away more than $40,000 of her savings, believing that it was going to a different NAB account the scammer created to safeguard her savings.

But after returning home from work and realising something was off, she called NAB only to be told that her money had already been transferred to an account with the Commonwealth Bank.

It was then that Stephanie realised that a genuine NAB phone call would open with the line 'Welcome to NAB', not 'Welcome to National Australia Bank', as the automated message on her call had done.

NAB confirmed that it is investigating the case. However, it was later revealed that there is nothing they can do to retrieve the funds.

The bank did, however, provide Stephanie with $10,000 compensation.

Although Stephanie appreciated NAB’s compensation, she is still urging banks to step up their game to help protect their customers.

'I was thankful that I still had money left over to pay for my bills and my home,' she said.

NAB is alerting customers of a new scam. Credit: Pexels/Tara Winstead.

The incident came after NAB warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, as a new PayID impersonation scam has emerged.

Scammers pretend to be representatives from PayID and target people selling items on the internet, telling them payment for their sold items has been withheld and advising victims to transfer additional payment.

NAB Executive Group Executive and Fraud, Chris Sheehan, states that PayID deception is the latest impersonation scam targeting Australians, and the number of people affected is expected to be higher since many cases are not reported.

Mr Sheehan said: ‘Just as online marketplaces have replaced garage sales as the go-to option to sell second-hand items, the way we make and receive payments is also changing.’

'PayID is a relatively new payment method and is quick, safe and simple. It is also free - and the biggest red flag of any PayID-related scam is often if someone asks you for money to upgrade an account or to access PayID.’

'Cybercriminals are sophisticated and we're unfortunately now seeing them try to exploit PayID given, on the whole, it isn't as familiar to the community as other ways to send and receive money.'

'If you receive one of these, it is a scam.’

Key Takeaways

• Many couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.
• However, for one bride-to-be, her dream wedding was dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000.
• Stephanie was duped by a scammer who pretended to be from the National Australia Bank and gave away her savings believing it was going to a different NAB account.
• NAB has warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, and to report any possible scam to their bank and the police immediately.

Members, it’s heart-breaking that Stephanie lost her hard-saved money to a scam artist. However, her story just goes to show how important it is to stay alert and look out for signs of an online scam.

Remember, always do your own research, ask questions, and never send money to someone you don’t know.

If you feel like you encountered a scammer or have been scammed, we encourage you to alert your bank and the police immediately about the incident.

We also advise reporting it to ScamWatch Australia, so others can be informed about the incident as well.

Stay safe out there, folks!

 

[MaggieAmalia]

The scams are very sophisticated. Some are saying to just ignore the messages, but here’s a scenario that happened to me 3 weeks ago. When I received an SMS from the supposedly ANZ bank that my Debit card might have been compromised and to reply 1 if I authorized the use of this card for a transaction to a certain website for a certain amount, and 0 if that was not me, I checked my internet banking and indeed, 2 payments of $1.37 each were taken from my account from 2 different web addresses. Of course I would reply 0 it wasn’t me, but that’s when it got tricky. Another message popped up from another number saying thank you and that someone from the bank will contact me within the next 30 minutes. Now, the amounts the first SMS messages mentioned were about $900 and $750, but I was lucky to only have 5 bucks on that account because I only transfer to the card when I need to use it. I use 2 debit cards but have other accounts with no cards on which I split my money for my budgets but only transfer to the cards when using them. Otherwise I would have lost $900 or more. They tried a small amount to see if the card works when the bigger amount was declined which is why I lost $1.37 and they tried it twice.
So I got a call. She said all the ANZ bank jargons you hear when the bank calls you. She wanted me to confirm a list of payment transactions if they were done by me. I said no I didn’t do any transaction today. Funny she wanted me to confirm for each of them first before she could send me a new card. I said there’s no need going through all of them as I said I didn’t do any transaction today. That’s when I knew she was not the bank. I said that I would need to check all these on my account to which she insisted to do that and she will give me a call back. I said, to please give her number I will check if it’s indeed the bank and will call back myself. She gave me the number but still said she will give me a call back. lol.
I hung up and checked and indeed it was a genuine bank number. That’s where we should not get fooled. She did give me a genuine bank number so I believe it’s the bank. Checking with the bank later they confirmed it’s them but it didn’t mean it was them calling, just their number, these scammers can call you from any displayed number or give you a genuine bank number to fool you. What I did say to that scammer, who said they’ve blocked my card as it’s been suspected to have been compromised, I said then just send me a new card, no need go through all these transactions as they were declined anyway.
As soon as I hung up I went to Woolies and put $10 on the card for a purchase which worked so I knew the card wasn’t blocked as she said.
I called the bank from a number on their website and within 5 minutes they blocked this card and issued me a new one, which I got in the mail a week later. That scammer never called again as she realized I knew she was a scammer. It was just logic but you’ve got to use your brain there as they make it sound as genuine as. Even after speaking with the bank, confirming it was their number, one could believe that scammer was therefore the bank and fall in the trap. I didn’t pursue with the bank about the 2 debits of $1.37 as they are just peanuts, but the bank should get their acts together as had i have money kept on that account, I would have lost it. Also, do not use your card to purchase online unless you trust the seller. I never trusted purchasing from Ebay and I only just used that card to purchase a spectacle frame from EBay and 2 weeks later that card was compromised. Interesting. I have a credit card I only use where I tap the card and not where I need to enter the card number because the credit card will most of the time have money on it.

How is it that her bank did not stop the transaction as being unusual and checking with her whether it was valid .. any transactions above $10,000. 00. Is supposedly monitored by the banks so perhaps that's why they gave her that amount as compensation. Also, Has scam watch been advised of this scam...

Thank you also for your updates on nefarious activities we aught to be alerted to. Greatly appreciated by myself and I'm sure others.

 

[Keswickian]

I don’t know why banks say “there is nothing they can do”, what a load of …,. Banks have insurance for this type of scam/ fraud. They only want to fork out with the minimum amount they can - it’s all about the banks profit. Maybe the ombudsman needs to be contacted.

Wrong. Banks should not have to put procedures into place to protect their entire customer base from doing such naive and foolish things. Scams of this nature are so well publicised that people should be sufficiently aware of what not to do. For anybody to transfer that much money into another account on the basis of an unchecked phone call was just plain stupid. Check with your bank before you do it; not after.
It annoys me because it's our money, that of other bank customers, that is being used to pay the compensation.

 

[riskydave]

I ignore all the text and emails I receive.
With emails I bever reply or open attachments but what I do if I think in the slightest that it could be from an legitimate person , I click on reply and there you will see the return email is not who they say they are.

I ignore all and if the bank needs to send me a message it will be done through my netball or regular post

I know when I have authorised a transfer of money from my bank and who it would have been going to!.The statement that she was having a particularly busy day at work for me would have been do nothing until I get home and am not under pressure.

 

[MaggieAmalia]

Wrong. Banks should not have to put procedures into place to protect their entire customer base from doing such naive and foolish things. Scams of this nature are so well publicised that people should be sufficiently aware of what not to do. For anybody to transfer that much money into another account on the basis of an unchecked phone call was just plain stupid. Check with your bank before you do it; not after.

My understanding has always been as it was a bank procedure that any transaction above $10,000.00 was monitored by the bank plus they had advise the government of those transactions as it was considered to be potentially illegal.. they were trying to control our financial freedom and limit cash being held and cash transactions in those days. I guess that doesn't aoply any more these days .. it's disturbing to see the loss and its impact on this lady.
Again, thank you for this post and i will share off line to alert others.

 

[John.RS]

The key clue here is "BRITISH ACCENT".
The main instigators in scams of this nature come from Britain and not Nigeria as surmised by many.
Read the many stories of scams and the principle clue is that it nearly always comes with a British Accent.

 

[DrivingGirl]

The scams are very sophisticated. Some are saying to just ignore the messages, but here’s a scenario that happened to me 3 weeks ago. When I received an SMS from the supposedly ANZ bank that my Debit card might have been compromised and to reply 1 if I authorized the use of this card for a transaction to a certain website for a certain amount, and 0 if that was not me, I checked my internet banking and indeed, 2 payments of $1.37 each were taken from my account from 2 different web addresses. Of course I would reply 0 it wasn’t me, but that’s when it got tricky. Another message popped up from another number saying thank you and that someone from the bank will contact me within the next 30 minutes. Now, the amounts the first SMS messages mentioned were about $900 and $750, but I was lucky to only have 5 bucks on that account because I only transfer to the card when I need to use it. I use 2 debit cards but have other accounts with no cards on which I split my money for my budgets but only transfer to the cards when using them. Otherwise I would have lost $900 or more. They tried a small amount to see if the card works when the bigger amount was declined which is why I lost $1.37 and they tried it twice.
So I got a call. She said all the ANZ bank jargons you hear when the bank calls you. She wanted me to confirm a list of payment transactions if they were done by me. I said no I didn’t do any transaction today. Funny she wanted me to confirm for each of them first before she could send me a new card. I said there’s no need going through all of them as I said I didn’t do any transaction today. That’s when I knew she was not the bank. I said that I would need to check all these on my account to which she insisted to do that and she will give me a call back. I said, to please give her number I will check if it’s indeed the bank and will call back myself. She gave me the number but still said she will give me a call back. lol.
I hung up and checked and indeed it was a genuine bank number. That’s where we should not get fooled. She did give me a genuine bank number so I believe it’s the bank. Checking with the bank later they confirmed it’s them but it didn’t mean it was them calling, just their number, these scammers can call you from any displayed number or give you a genuine bank number to fool you. What I did say to that scammer, who said they’ve blocked my card as it’s been suspected to have been compromised, I said then just send me a new card, no need go through all these transactions as they were declined anyway.
As soon as I hung up I went to Woolies and put $10 on the card for a purchase which worked so I knew the card wasn’t blocked as she said.
I called the bank from a number on their website and within 5 minutes they blocked this card and issued me a new one, which I got in the mail a week later. That scammer never called again as she realized I knew she was a scammer. It was just logic but you’ve got to use your brain there as they make it sound as genuine as. Even after speaking with the bank, confirming it was their number, one could believe that scammer was therefore the bank and fall in the trap. I didn’t pursue with the bank about the 2 debits of $1.37 as they are just peanuts, but the bank should get their acts together as had i have money kept on that account, I would have lost it. Also, do not use your card to purchase online unless you trust the seller. I never trusted purchasing from Ebay and I only just used that card to purchase a spectacle frame from EBay and 2 weeks later that card was compromised. Interesting. I have a credit card I only use where I tap the card and not where I need to enter the card number because the credit card will most of the time have money on it.

As I’ve said before- if the banks had a dedicated number where you could verify these scam attempts in couple of minutes , there would be a lot less money lost!
People know it’ll be at least an hour on the phone and feel pressured to act as there is always an urgency in these scam messages. . So it’s up to the bank to cover the losses in my opinion!

 

[Aussie all the Way]

The scams are very sophisticated. Some are saying to just ignore the messages, but here’s a scenario that happened to me 3 weeks ago. When I received an SMS from the supposedly ANZ bank that my Debit card might have been compromised and to reply 1 if I authorized the use of this card for a transaction to a certain website for a certain amount, and 0 if that was not me, I checked my internet banking and indeed, 2 payments of $1.37 each were taken from my account from 2 different web addresses. Of course I would reply 0 it wasn’t me, but that’s when it got tricky. Another message popped up from another number saying thank you and that someone from the bank will contact me within the next 30 minutes. Now, the amounts the first SMS messages mentioned were about $900 and $750, but I was lucky to only have 5 bucks on that account because I only transfer to the card when I need to use it. I use 2 debit cards but have other accounts with no cards on which I split my money for my budgets but only transfer to the cards when using them. Otherwise I would have lost $900 or more. They tried a small amount to see if the card works when the bigger amount was declined which is why I lost $1.37 and they tried it twice.
So I got a call. She said all the ANZ bank jargons you hear when the bank calls you. She wanted me to confirm a list of payment transactions if they were done by me. I said no I didn’t do any transaction today. Funny she wanted me to confirm for each of them first before she could send me a new card. I said there’s no need going through all of them as I said I didn’t do any transaction today. That’s when I knew she was not the bank. I said that I would need to check all these on my account to which she insisted to do that and she will give me a call back. I said, to please give her number I will check if it’s indeed the bank and will call back myself. She gave me the number but still said she will give me a call back. lol.
I hung up and checked and indeed it was a genuine bank number. That’s where we should not get fooled. She did give me a genuine bank number so I believe it’s the bank. Checking with the bank later they confirmed it’s them but it didn’t mean it was them calling, just their number, these scammers can call you from any displayed number or give you a genuine bank number to fool you. What I did say to that scammer, who said they’ve blocked my card as it’s been suspected to have been compromised, I said then just send me a new card, no need go through all these transactions as they were declined anyway.
As soon as I hung up I went to Woolies and put $10 on the card for a purchase which worked so I knew the card wasn’t blocked as she said.
I called the bank from a number on their website and within 5 minutes they blocked this card and issued me a new one, which I got in the mail a week later. That scammer never called again as she realized I knew she was a scammer. It was just logic but you’ve got to use your brain there as they make it sound as genuine as. Even after speaking with the bank, confirming it was their number, one could believe that scammer was therefore the bank and fall in the trap. I didn’t pursue with the bank about the 2 debits of $1.37 as they are just peanuts, but the bank should get their acts together as had i have money kept on that account, I would have lost it. Also, do not use your card to purchase online unless you trust the seller. I never trusted purchasing from Ebay and I only just used that card to purchase a spectacle frame from EBay and 2 weeks later that card was compromised. Interesting. I have a credit card I only use where I tap the card and not where I need to enter the card number because the credit card will most of the time have money on it.

Your first mistake was pressing 0, that let them in to the rest of the scam. The Banks don't usually send SMS when it is suspect. Well Westpac don't they sent me an email to tell me someone was trying to use my card up in Sydney, I live in Tasmania. So I got my Bankcard Statement and rang the number on that because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that that was a Legitimate number and they gave me the rest of the information that I needed to know, I had the correct number for the Fraud people with the bank and the card was blocked, a new card was organised and I had it within 2 days, not one cent taken from my account. All I can say is Westpac are great when it comes to protecting their customers accounts. this was the 2nd time something like this had happened many years in between.

 

[MaggieAmalia]

The key clue here is "BRITISH ACCENT".
The main instigators in scams of this nature come from Britain and not Nigeria as surmised by many.
Read the many stories of scams and the principle clue is that it nearly always comes with a British Accent.

Actually they are highly trained with their accent and it's perhaps not well known that thst those with the British accent are
from India.

 

[MaggieAmalia]

Your first mistake was pressing 0, that let them in to the rest of the scam. The Banks don't usually send SMS when it is suspect. Well Westpac don't they sent me an email to tell me someone was trying to use my card up in Sydney, I live in Tasmania. So I got my Bankcard Statement and rang the number on that because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that that was a Legitimate number and they gave me the rest of the information that I needed to know, I had the correct number for the Fraud people with the bank and the card was blocked, a new card was organised and I had it within 2 days, not one cent taken from my account. All I can say is Westpac are great when it comes to protecting their customers accounts. this was the 2nd time something like this had happened many years in between.

I recently had a text message from the bank stating i had been scanned to the value of $4.00 .. this was quickly followed by a female to alert me of the scam. I kept her talking to me on the line and leapt into my car and drove straight to my bank. I raced in waving my arm and a officer immediately took me into his office and i showed him my phone so he could verify the phone number (which incidently i had s screen shot off) as their bank or not. The person in the phone was very patient with me as she understood i was driving so the bank officer then nodded and said was indeed their bank. Iterminated call and then the bank officer and i had the conversation.. and i had been scammed off $4.00 Then the appropriate action was taken to block all transactions and a new card arranged. I was lucky.


I had noticed that my iPhone is super sensitive to my finger even when not typing as if i hold it even two inches above the key board it will register so that was how i had been caught .. lessonlearnt and I'm not looking at anything out of curiosity again!!

 

[mylittletibbies]

This law was bought in, for people to explain if they were trying to deposit more than $10,000 in cash.
This was not to control you but was mainly to stop drug dealers etc. depositing large amounts of cash.

My understanding has always been as it was a bank procedure that any transaction above $10,000.00 was monitored by the bank plus they had advise the government of those transactions as it was considered to be potentially illegal.. they were trying to control our financial freedom and limit cash being held and cash transactions in those days. I guess that doesn't aoply any more these days .. it's disturbing to see the loss and its impact on this lady.
Again, thank you for this post and i will share off line to alert others.

 

[MaggieAmalia]

This law was bought in, for people to explain if they were trying to deposit more than $10,000 in cash.
This was not to control you but was mainly to stop drug dealers etc. depositing large amounts of cash.

My personal experience was an explanation was required as to source of money incoming into my account. They knew where i received from as it was on record but they were obliged to report irrespectively.

Also we were not able to access more than x amount to withdraw on any given day and the limit was $5000.00 per day.
I was blocked by the bank from withdrawing a certain amount and was told no go as it was over the daily limit. Which i challenged as that was their limit but as it was my money i could do as i pleased .. so they complied graciously albeit reluctantly.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

My understanding has always been as it was a bank procedure that any transaction above $10,000.00 was monitored by the bank plus they had advise the government of those transactions as it was considered to be potentially illegal.. they were trying to control our financial freedom and limit cash being held and cash transactions in those days. I guess that doesn't aoply any more these days .. it's disturbing to see the loss and its impact on this lady.
Again, thank you for this post and i will share off line to alert others.

Yes it still does apply if you want to withdraw $10k or more they will alert the appropriate people because they want to make sure it is not money laundering, or people being scammed. Does not matter how much you deposit it can be $100k, because it is a deposit. And not up to the Banks really for peoples STUPIDITY.

 

[Catherines]

Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life, especially for a bride-to-be. It's a day that is filled with joy and anticipation, and most brides spend a significant amount of time and effort in planning every detail, from selecting the perfect dress and venue to curating the guest list.

In many cases, couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.

While the cost of a wedding can vary, many brides consider it a worthwhile investment in creating a memorable experience that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

That’s why it’s no secret that many couples are tirelessly brainstorming ways to save money to prepare for their big day.

But for one 30-year-old Melbourne woman, those dreams were dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000 that she’d been saving for her wedding day.

Stephanie Hoggan became engaged to Matty, 30, in May 2022. The couple had been saving up for their dream wedding since November.

However, the couple’s nightmare began when Stephanie received an unsolicited text message during a particularly busy day at work.

A phone banking fraud cost Stephanie Hoggan, 30, $40,000 she had saved for her wedding. Credit: Facebook.

'It stated that I’d authorised $900 to be paid to this person, but if it wasn’t me then I should let them know,' the bride-to-be recalled.

'It had a number to call, so, of course, I called it - I didn’t want to lose that money.'

When Stephanie called the number, she spoke to a man with a British accent claiming to be from the National Australia Bank (NAB).

Stephanie said she felt that the man sounded calm and professional - nothing like the typical scammer she had heard about.

He was so convincing that the bride-to-be gave away more than $40,000 of her savings, believing that it was going to a different NAB account the scammer created to safeguard her savings.

But after returning home from work and realising something was off, she called NAB only to be told that her money had already been transferred to an account with the Commonwealth Bank.

It was then that Stephanie realised that a genuine NAB phone call would open with the line 'Welcome to NAB', not 'Welcome to National Australia Bank', as the automated message on her call had done.

NAB confirmed that it is investigating the case. However, it was later revealed that there is nothing they can do to retrieve the funds.

The bank did, however, provide Stephanie with $10,000 compensation.

Although Stephanie appreciated NAB’s compensation, she is still urging banks to step up their game to help protect their customers.

'I was thankful that I still had money left over to pay for my bills and my home,' she said.

NAB is alerting customers of a new scam. Credit: Pexels/Tara Winstead.

The incident came after NAB warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, as a new PayID impersonation scam has emerged.

Scammers pretend to be representatives from PayID and target people selling items on the internet, telling them payment for their sold items has been withheld and advising victims to transfer additional payment.

NAB Executive Group Executive and Fraud, Chris Sheehan, states that PayID deception is the latest impersonation scam targeting Australians, and the number of people affected is expected to be higher since many cases are not reported.

Mr Sheehan said: ‘Just as online marketplaces have replaced garage sales as the go-to option to sell second-hand items, the way we make and receive payments is also changing.’

'PayID is a relatively new payment method and is quick, safe and simple. It is also free - and the biggest red flag of any PayID-related scam is often if someone asks you for money to upgrade an account or to access PayID.’

'Cybercriminals are sophisticated and we're unfortunately now seeing them try to exploit PayID given, on the whole, it isn't as familiar to the community as other ways to send and receive money.'

'If you receive one of these, it is a scam.’

Key Takeaways

• Many couples spare no expense when it comes to their big day, often spending a considerable amount of money to make sure everything is just right.
• However, for one bride-to-be, her dream wedding was dashed when she fell victim to a phone banking scam and lost $40,000.
• Stephanie was duped by a scammer who pretended to be from the National Australia Bank and gave away her savings believing it was going to a different NAB account.
• NAB has warned customers to be cautious of messages from individuals claiming to be from their bank, and to report any possible scam to their bank and the police immediately.

Members, it’s heart-breaking that Stephanie lost her hard-saved money to a scam artist. However, her story just goes to show how important it is to stay alert and look out for signs of an online scam.

Remember, always do your own research, ask questions, and never send money to someone you don’t know.

If you feel like you encountered a scammer or have been scammed, we encourage you to alert your bank and the police immediately about the incident.

We also advise reporting it to ScamWatch Australia, so others can be informed about the Eincident as well.

Stay safe out there, folks!

Can’t say much more - DON’T REPLY TO CALLERS WHOSE NUMBER YOU DON’T RECOGNISE & NEVER, EVER, EVER TRANSFER MONEY OVER THE PHONE. ALWAYS PHONE YOUR BANK ABOUT IT FIRST. JUST DON’T DO ANY MONEY TRANSFERS OR GIVE OUT ACCOUNT NUMBERS OVER THE PHONE. JUST DON’T DO IT. FULL STOP.