TRADIES in the bush have been targeted in a shifty email scam robbing them of thousands of dollars.
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Neil Alderton has been a painter in Tamworth for more than 30 years but this latest scam he and his wife Maureen have found themselves in the midst of, was almost unheard of.
Neil secured a job through a local real estate, who they didn’t want to name, for a homeowner who wanted a new lick of paint.
The real estate sent an invoice to the homeowner who duly paid the $7000 bill.
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There was only one problem.
The money never made it to the real estate’s account.
The Aldertons believe they’re the victims of a phishing scam.
“People somehow monitor business emails and when one is sent out with bank details, they jump in and put they’re own details in there,” Mrs Alderton said.
“It’s not to bad mouth either parties, it’s just to say this is happening in Tamworth.
“Just be aware when you’re doing these transactions, maybe make a 30-second phone call to confirm bank details.
“Someone has paid $7000, that's a lot of money and that’s a lot money for us too.”
She believed there were “heaps of other tradies” who could get caught in a similar scam and agreed anyone paying bills online could be vulnerable.
The owner’s bank has subsequently paid half of the original invoice, but the Aldertons are still hoping to get the full sum back.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said business email compromise scams, like this, have cost companies more than $2.8 million in 2018.
According to its Scamwatch arm, these ruses have accounted for 63 per cent of all business losses.
“Effective management procedures can go a long way towards preventing scams, so all businesses should firstly be aware these scams exist and that their staff know about them too,” ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
“They should consider a multi-person approval process for transactions over a certain dollar threshold and keep their IT security up-to-date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a good firewall.”
The ACCC said businesses hit by these scams should contact their banks and consider seeking professional IT advice on staying protected against potential hacks.