“I was stung”

Even our reporter, Genevieve Gannon, has fallen victim to a scam.

In 2019, I received a text message

saying my phone was being switched to Amaysim. Since it meant nothing to me, I ignored it. Two days later I got another message, this one ostensibly from Telstra, saying my transfer had been complete. Again, I thought, ‘This is a phishing scam.’ Later, I discovered my phone wasn’t

working. I came into the office to use my desk phone, but when I tried to open my email account to retrieve Telstra’s customer service number, my password wouldn’t work. Alert but not alarmed, I went to the Telstra site to find the number. I provided them with information and was told the matter was being referred to the

fraud squad. There wasn’t much I could do, so I headed off. En route I tried to buy groceries, but my card was rejected, so I hurried home to check my online banking account. When my password was rejected, I really started to worry. First thing Monday morning, I went to my local bank branch. I was asked for several points of ID, and the teller gently asked how much money I thought I had in my account. I’d just been paid. “So you haven’t made a $2000

withdrawal?” she asked. I had not. The teller told me my credit card had been maxed out. All up, I’d been fleeced out of $7000. The teller escalated the concern and gave me cash to see me through. They were reassuring, as was Telstra, who I learned was in the process of retrieving my phone number, which had been illegally ported. It seemed somebody had gone through my letterbox and been able to gather enough personal details to have my number diverted to a prepaid SIM. Once they had my number, they were able to change the passwords on my

email and online banking details.