A digitally literate young person who received workplace cybersecurity training still fell victim to a sophisticated banking scam while on vacation. The scammer sent a text claiming 12,805 "awards points" would expire, leading to a fake banking website that perfectly mimicked the real one.
After entering login credentials and authorizing a $2.99 shipping fee for a "free" smartwatch, scammers used cardless cash to withdraw $500 from a Melbourne ATM. The victim only discovered the theft days later when checking holiday expenses.
Similar scams have targeted Qantas, Telstra, and Coles customers. Australians lost nearly $260 million to scams in the first nine months of 2025. The bank refunded the money and issued new cards.
Source: The Guardian