Dealing with your bank is part of everyday life, and that's why it's really important we stay on the lookout for bank impersonation scams.
They become highly sophisticated and they look and sound authentic, and if the scammer succeeds, you could lose your life savings.
That's why Ashley here needs to be really careful.
The scammers already contacted him with a text message that looks like it's from his bank.
The contact is so realistic, he can't tell it's fake.
In fact, this scam is so sophisticated, Ashley can expect to receive a follow-up phone call from the scammer soon.
In Ashley's case, the text message has appeared in the same message thread as previous messages from his real bank, making it almost impossible to spot the scam.
Had they called or emailed him, the scammer would've disguised their phone number or email address to look like it really was from Ashley's bank.
In this type of scam, the scammers use the type of language you'd expect from your bank.
So the communication sounds very genuine.
And then they apply pressure by telling you that they've identified suspicious activity on your account or they need you to verify or confirm a transaction.
Ashley's first contact with the scammer came via text message and the scammer's given him a phone number and asked him to call them straight away.
Now that he's speaking to the scammer, they're offering to help him secure his bank account or device.
Be careful, Ash.
If you receive a call or message from someone saying they're your bank, stop before you provide them with any details.
Even if the scammer knows some details about you already, and they probably will, they'll always ask you for more, like your one-time password or a security pin.
They tell you that they need this information to verify who you are or to secure your account, but they're actually using it to access your account to steal your money.
So if they ask you for more information about you, or if they're telling you to move quickly because you could lose your entire savings, stop and slow things down.
Great job, Ash.
There are other red flags too.
If they ask you to download software onto your device, it's a scam.
If they ask you to transfer your money to a secure account, it's a scam.
If they ask you to hand over cash to a courier, it's a scam.
Banks would never ask you to do any of these things.
Even if it sounds legit, before you hand over any personal details, check, call your bank like Ashley using the number on their website to check that the contact is real, or if you can contact them using their secure app.
And finally, protect yourself. If you've shared personal details with a scammer or transferred money to them, act quickly.
Contact your bank immediately so they can secure your account.
If you've downloaded any software onto your device, take it to a qualified technician to have it removed and please report any scam to Scamwatch.
Your report will help us to protect others and the best thing we can do to fight back against scammers?
Share your story with others.
The more we talk, the less power scammers have.
