Vigilant Bendigo Bank staff thwart scammers’ attempts to steal over $20,000

At Bendigo Bank’s Wantirna branch Customer Relationship Officer, George and Branch Operations Manager, Mirsada, successfully intervened to stop a brazen scammer who had coached a customer to withdraw $18,000 in cash, in what was found to be the first step in a bank impersonation scam.

“The customer came into the branch on the phone and appeared to be very anxious whilst requesting to withdraw funds for a ‘vague’ overseas trip,” George said.

“There were a number of reg flags with her request, including the fact that the trip lacked specific details, she appeared anxious, was on the phone and showed all the signs of being coerced,” he said.

Mirsada said she and George took immediate action to safeguard the customer.

“We asked probing questions and didn’t accept the first answer, which revealed inconsistencies in the customer’s story. More importantly though, we created a safe space and invited the customer into a private office which broke the connection with the scammer and gave her the capacity to speak freely,” Mirsada said.

“We were also able to get the scammer off the phone, block their number and then have a really detailed discussion about scams and future proofing the customer’s account - for which she was immensely grateful for,” she said.

In another demonstration of detecting, deterring and disrupting scammers, Personal Banker at Bendigo Bank Wonthaggi, Adriana, acted quickly to protect a customer wanting to do a $4000 international telegraphic transfer to the Philippines part of an inheritance scam.

“The customer was adamant that it was legitimate, but the story didn’t sit right with me,” Adriana said.

“Even though the customer was insistent, I trusted my gut and escalated the issue to the Bank’s Financial Crimes team, where it was discovered that the customer had already sadly lost over $100,000 from previous, fraudulent transactions,” she said.

Steve Blackburn, Bendigo Bank's Chief Compliance and Financial Crime Officer, said that sadly, stories like this are not uncommon.

“Last financial year, Bendigo Bank stopped approximately $47 million in potential scam payments, thanks in part to robust scam detection systems, but also to our people, who play a pivotal role in customer protection every day,” Mr Blackburn said.

"Our branch team members are on the front line of the fight against scammers, and their diligence is making a real difference in the lives of our customers – and with our customers’ help, we can continue to reduce losses to scams even further,” he said.

“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.”

“STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure, THINK – Ask yourself could the message, post 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.”

“To safeguard against impersonation and inheritance scams, it is crucial to remember that Bendigo Bank will never ask you to transfer money to a ‘safe’ account or request your password or PIN. Reject any such request, even if the person contacting you seems credible because they have some of your personal details.”

“Always be sceptical of unsolicited communications that create a sense of urgency or offer something that seems too good to be true. Before acting, independently verify any claims by contacting the organisation through official channels you have looked up yourself, not by using the contact details provided by the potential scammer.”

“If you receive a suspicious phone call (that you suspect might be a scammer), and you have provided any personal or account information, contact your bank immediately, or visiting your local branch – it could stop you from losing thousands.”

Bendigo branch Wantirna staff, George and Mirsada.