Mildura woman Barbara Turner loses life savings after online scam as cyber criminals strike

A Mildura woman has been left devastated after losing her life savings to cyber criminals after an online purchase on public Wi-Fi, derailing her plans for vital knee surgery.

Barbara Turner’s bank account was drained of thousands of dollars she had been saving ahead of knee surgery she was set to have in Melbourne at the end of January.

A 54-year-old Mildura woman has been left devastated after losing her life savings to cybercriminals who struck after she made an online purchase using public Wi-Fi.

Barbara Turner, a patient services assistant at Mildura Base Public Hospital, discovered the shocking theft after logging into her internet banking app.

“I was in complete shock. I think every swear word in the world came out of my mouth,” Ms Turner said.

The cyber attack wiped out thousands of dollars Ms Turner had been saving for her upcoming knee replacement surgery, scheduled for the end of the month in Melbourne.

“It’s hard enough with the cost of living the way it is. Everyone is struggling. Our money is supposed to be safe in the bank, and it is not,” she said.

The scam, which appeared on her bank statement as transactions through Ace Money Transfer, has left her financial plans in tatters.

Mildura woman Barbara Turner (far left) was scammed out of thousands of dollars after making an online purchase through a public Wi-Fi network.

Ms Turner reported the theft to her bank, ING, which credited her account with $150 for phone security checks but offered limited support otherwise.

Friends urged her to notify the police.

To help cover her surgery costs and recover financially, Ms Turner turned to GoFundMe, with assistance from a friend’s daughter.

“I wasn’t coping properly and a friend’s daughter set it all up for me and I just burst into tears,” Ms Turner said.

Scamwatch says Victorian’s over 45 had been fleeced out of more than $24m in 2024 through online scams.

Ms Turner, shaken by the experience, has vowed to stop online shopping and avoid calls from unknown numbers.

“I just feel violated and scared, it’s a really scary feeling. I want everyone to be wary, be careful online and don’t shop on public Wi-Fi, it’s not safe,” she said.