A Westpac employee’s sharp instincts stopped a scam just in time, saving a customer from losing an eye-watering $1.2 million meant for a property purchase.
Here’s what happened:
The customer was buying a house through a conveyancer he had worked with before and trusted completely. He was expecting an email with payment instructions, so when one arrived, everything seemed normal.
But there was a catch—the email wasn’t actually from his conveyancer. Scammers had hacked into the conveyancer’s account and sent fake payment instructions.
Diane Zhou, a banker from Westpac Private Wealth, was handling the case. Even though the customer was sure the email was legit—it came from the right address at the right time—Diane wasn’t convinced. She decided to call the conveyancer directly, just to be sure.
And thank goodness she did!
When Diane spoke to the conveyancer, she discovered the email was fake. The conveyancer’s account had been hacked, and scammers had sent out several fraudulent emails with fake bank account details. If the customer had transferred the money, it would’ve gone straight to the scammers.
Thanks to Diane’s quick thinking, the customer’s $1.2 million was safe.
A Lesson for Everyone
Diane shared this story to warn others about these types of scams. “Always double-check payment details before transferring money, no matter how trusted the source seems,” she said.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also has advice if you ever fall victim to a scam:
- Contact your bank immediately.
- Reach out to IDCARE, a national service that helps with identity and cyber issues.
- Report the scam to Scamwatch.
This story is a powerful reminder to stay cautious and always verify important details. It only takes a moment—and it could save you a fortune!
