Woman loses $50,000 in Telstra and ANZ scam: ‘Physically felt sick’
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In today's digital age, scams have become increasingly sophisticated, leaving even the savviest of us vulnerable to fraudsters' elaborate schemes.
A recent incident in Perth is a stark reminder of how cunning these criminals can be, as a woman was fleeced out of a staggering $50,000 through a scam involving two of Australia's most trusted names: Telstra and ANZ.
Veronica McCann, a 40-year-old race car driver from Perth, experienced a nightmare far worse than any high-speed crash on the track.
After stepping out of a meeting, she discovered her phone had no reception. Little did she know, this was the first sign of a scam that would cost her dearly.
Emails from Telstra soon followed, indicating her login details and phone number had been altered without her consent.
‘I literally thought it was a mobile phone issue. I didn't click that it was anything more sinister going on,’ she said.
Initially dismissing it as a mere mobile phone issue, McCann soon realised the gravity of the situation.
The scammer had exploited a loophole intended to protect domestic violence victims, convincing the telco that they were in urgent need of account access due to a dangerous personal situation.
With control over her Telstra account, the fraudster turned their attention to her bank.
In just two hours, McCann's financial security was compromised.
'Heart drops, feel sick for the rest of the day, physically feel sick,' she recounted.
‘I called my husband and said, “You need to call ANZ and tell them to shut our accounts because we've been hacked” and it's just a horrible, horrible feeling from that point.’
The scammers had even changed her voice ID to access her accounts.
McCann was left bewildered, questioning how such a breach could occur without triggering any security protocols.
It was only after sharing her harrowing experience on Perth radio station 6PR that ANZ agreed to refund the stolen money.
The bank described the scam as 'appalling' and reassured that it is continually updating its security measures to combat emerging threats.
Telstra, on their part, stated that ‘the scammer was able to answer’ security questions, suggesting that identity theft had occurred before any interaction with their services.
Have you or someone you know been affected by a similar scam? Share your experiences in the comments!
A recent incident in Perth is a stark reminder of how cunning these criminals can be, as a woman was fleeced out of a staggering $50,000 through a scam involving two of Australia's most trusted names: Telstra and ANZ.
Veronica McCann, a 40-year-old race car driver from Perth, experienced a nightmare far worse than any high-speed crash on the track.
After stepping out of a meeting, she discovered her phone had no reception. Little did she know, this was the first sign of a scam that would cost her dearly.
Emails from Telstra soon followed, indicating her login details and phone number had been altered without her consent.
McCann had the nightmare of her life after losing $50,000 in an elaborate scam. Credit: Shutterstock
‘I literally thought it was a mobile phone issue. I didn't click that it was anything more sinister going on,’ she said.
Initially dismissing it as a mere mobile phone issue, McCann soon realised the gravity of the situation.
The scammer had exploited a loophole intended to protect domestic violence victims, convincing the telco that they were in urgent need of account access due to a dangerous personal situation.
With control over her Telstra account, the fraudster turned their attention to her bank.
In just two hours, McCann's financial security was compromised.
'Heart drops, feel sick for the rest of the day, physically feel sick,' she recounted.
‘I called my husband and said, “You need to call ANZ and tell them to shut our accounts because we've been hacked” and it's just a horrible, horrible feeling from that point.’
The scammers had even changed her voice ID to access her accounts.
McCann was left bewildered, questioning how such a breach could occur without triggering any security protocols.
It was only after sharing her harrowing experience on Perth radio station 6PR that ANZ agreed to refund the stolen money.
The bank described the scam as 'appalling' and reassured that it is continually updating its security measures to combat emerging threats.
Telstra, on their part, stated that ‘the scammer was able to answer’ security questions, suggesting that identity theft had occurred before any interaction with their services.
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