Scammers using bullying tactics: Bendigo Bank urges customers to STOP, THINK and PROTECT

The report shows that investment scams accounted for the most significant financial harm to Australians in 2025, with combined losses of $837.7 million reported, which Bendigo Bank says might be due in part to a rise in criminals using bullying and intimidation practices.

Bendigo Bank’s Chief Compliance and Financial Crime Officer, Steven Blackburn, said the figures were alarming, but unfortunately not surprising, and reflect the trends seen by the Bank's own financial crime teams.

"These national statistics mirror the threats we see targeting our customers every day," Mr Blackburn said.

"In one recent, distressing case, a scammer verbally abused and threatened a customer, telling them ‘they had their home address and would come to their house.’ This was not an isolated incident. These are high-pressure, terrifying situations designed to make people panic and act against their better judgment.

"Along with heightened pressure tactics, we are also seeing a surge in reports of sophisticated investment scams designed to look legitimate, so we’re calling on customers to join us in the fight against scammers and STOP, THINK and PROTECT to keep your money safe from scammers,” he said.

“STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure, THINK – Ask yourself could the message or call be fake? Is it too good to be true? PROTECT – Act quickly and contact your Bank through verified channels if something feels wrong.”

"Our focus on customer education is yielding clear results. More customers are recognising the signs of a scam and contacting us first. This partnership is how we stop fraud, and we have recent cases that prove this vigilance is directly preventing financial loss."

Five warning signs of an investment scam

Mr Blackburn says investment scams have some common hallmarks. Here are some things to look out for:

1. Pressure tactics: Scammers often try to rush you into making a decision and can be very confrontational, so you don't have time to research or think critically. 
2. Unsolicited contact: Be cautious of unexpected phone calls, emails, texts, or social media messages offering investment opportunities, especially if you haven't dealt with the sender before. 
3. ‘Too good to be true’ offers: Be extremely wary of investments promising high returns with little to no risk. This is a classic red flag for scams legitimate investments always carry some degree of risk, and higher returns typically mean higher risk.   
4. Fake endorsements: Scammers use fake celebrity or influencer endorsements, professional-looking materials, and even artificial intelligence (AI) to create convincing but fraudulent ads and websites. 
5. Requests for upfront fees/taxes: If you're asked to pay taxes or fees before you can access your investment returns, it's likely a scam. 

What to do if you’ve been a victim of an investment scam? 

“It can be incredibly distressing to realise you've been the victim of an investment scam but it's crucial to act quickly and decisively,” Mr Blackburn said.  

“If you think you've been scammed, visit  www.bendigobank.com.au/security  immediately to report it and get support,” he said.

“Bendigo Bank takes scams and fraud very seriously, protecting its 2.9 million customers and safeguarding our systems with a variety of cyber-crime prevention methods including 24/7 fraud monitoring, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and Payee Check. By working together with our customers, we can even further reduce the incidence of scams and fraud.”