Tasmanian couple saved from sophisticated investment scam which would have cost $40,000

They seem to be everywhere: scammers swindling innocent people out of their hard earned cash. But one quick thinking banker has stopped a Tasmanian couple from falling victim. Here’s the scam they nearly fell for.

NAB Customer Advisor, Erin Bugg at the Rosny Park Branch. Picture: Linda Higginson

A Tasmanian couple could have lost $40,000 to scammers, but thanks to a banker they were able to keep their money safe.

Rosny NAB customer adviser Erin Bugg said she recently spoke to a husband and wife who were targeted by a sophisticated investment scam.

She said the couple’s account had been blocked when they tried to transfer the money to what they believed was an online investment firm in Perth.

“Immediately, alarm bells went off for me,” Ms Bugg said.

“It sounded like an investment scam and I was concerned this couple could lose their life savings.”

Ms Bugg said the customers believed the firm was legitimate, and even though the group’s website appeared normal, there was something fishy about the situation.

She said the customers rang the scammers to prove it was real.

“I declined to speak to the ‘firm’, but I could hear them telling the customers, ‘oh, NAB always flags us as a scam’,” she said.

“The fraud team [at NAB] agreed with me that this was exactly that – an elaborate scam.”

After more digging, the couple were able to confirm it was a scam.

“It was such a relief to hear from the customer that they’d avoided being scammed,” Ms Bugg said.

“I’m so glad I didn’t waiver – I stood my ground and followed my gut, preventing them from losing their life savings.”

Ms Bugg said Tasmanians should be wary of investments that seem too good to be true.

“If there was a scam red flags bingo card, ‘online investment opportunity’ would be top of the list,” Ms Bugg said.