Small business owner sounds the alarm on new scam targeting unsuspecting Aussies
A small business owner is warning others to stay vigilant after she was targeted by a sophisticated scam that almost cost her hundreds of dollars.
Melanie Rose Moss, who runs a lifestyle and aromatherapy brand, took to TikTok to share her ordeal in the hopes it would help others avoid the same trap.
The 38-year-old received a call from someone claiming to be from her bank, St George, who told her there was an $800 charge on her credit card.
The caller then read out the first five digits of her card, details that were correct.
The scammer went on to say they would freeze the transaction, before asking Melanie to confirm more personal details.
Shockingly, the information they had was all accurate.
'My name, my email, my address and the first five digits of my credit,' she said.
But when the caller asked her to provide the remaining numbers on her card and the expiry date, Melanie became suspicious.
She told the operator she wasn't comfortable sharing that information over the phone.
Trying to gain her trust, the caller asked her to search the number they were calling from on Google.
When she did, it came up as a genuine number for St George Bank.
Still, Melanie didn't feel right.
'I am so sorry if you genuinely work for St George and you're just doing your job. But I am not giving those details over the phone,' she told the caller.
'I want your name, your badge ID and I am going to call St George and chase this up.'
The man gave her the name 'Robert Johnson' and a badge number. Melanie hung up and immediately called the bank herself - which revealed it was a scam.
'I don't know how they got all my details, everything was correct,' she said.
Melanie said that when she finally spoke to a legitimate representative at St George, they were 'so proud' of how she had dealt with the scammer.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning Australians to stay vigilant in the face of cunning scams.
A spokesperson for the National Anti-Scam Centre has urged people to follow three key steps if they suspect a scam; Stop, Check and Protect.
They advise people to pause and avoid giving out money or personal information if something feels off, as scammers often create a false sense of urgency.
Always verify contact by reaching out to organisations through official channels, not using details provided in a suspicious message or call.
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