A suspicious text and quick thinking helped a NAB business customer avert a $3 million impersonation scam, underscoring the need for constant vigilance.
When Jamie* received a suspicious text from his EA, Lisa*, he immediately sensed something was off.
“I was at home in Busselton, not in Darwin,” Jamie said.
He quickly contacted his NAB business banker, Risma Price, after the caller failed to provide key information, raising several red flags.
“A few years back I fell victim to an invoice scam, so I’m now hyper-alert to requests like this,” Jamie said.
Price confirmed that Jamie’s accounts were secure and urged him not to share any information.
“Jamie and Lisa did all the right things by staying vigilant and spotting the red flags,” she said.
If the scammers had succeeded, they could have accessed around $3 million in funds.
“This all unfolded in about 20 minutes, highlighting the importance of staying alert to scammers and acting quickly,” Price said.
Chris Sheehan (pictured above), NAB executive group Investigations head, stressed the increased risk of scams as businesses approach the end of the financial year.
“One of the top scams we see is phishing scams impersonating the Australian Tax Office,” Sheehan said.
NAB has implemented several measures to combat scams, including stopping the use of links in unexpected texts and introducing real-time payment alerts.
NAB advises business customers to never be pressured into moving money and to stay informed about the latest scams.
“We’re focused every day on protecting customers against scams,” Sheehan said.
If you think you’re a victim of a scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to Scamwatch.
*Names have been changed for privacy reasons.
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