Hume Bank recently intercepted a sophisticated scam attempt targeting a customer, preventing the loss of $17,500 through a combination of proactive fraud monitoring, specialist financial crime expertise and timely customer support.
By leveraging local insight and advanced fraud detection, Hume Bank’s Financial Crime team was able to identify the threat and secure the customer’s funds before they could be siphoned away.
How remote access scams work
A remote access scam involves using malicious software to gain unauthorised control of a victim’s device, often triggered by visiting a compromised website. According to Scamwatch, Australians lost over $12 million to these types of scams in 2025.
These scams typically begin with a pop-up notification claiming the system is infected by a virus. In this case, the Hume Bank customer encountered a fraudulent Microsoft security alert on their computer. Believing the warning was genuine, they called the number displayed on the screen. The scammer on the other end then convinced the victim to download remote access apps and provide a One-Time Password (OTP).
“Once the scammer had access to the device and internet banking, they used the OTP to process a transaction to a new destination,” explained a Hume Bank spokesperson.
“In this instance, the scammer was attempting to send the funds to a credit card – a tactic often used because credit cards offer multiple ‘exit points’ for stolen money, such as ATM withdrawals or further digital transfers.”
Proactive protection in action
However, the scam was intercepted by a custom detection rule developed by Hume Bank’s fraud specialists. By analysing data from previous scam attempts, the team identified common red flags and implemented a system to automatically hold suspicious transactions for manual review.
“The team reviewed common elements of these scam attempts to create a specific rule that detects similar scenarios, allowing us to hold funds until we can verify the activity with the customer,” the spokesperson explained.
“When this transaction was flagged, the customer also contacted our centre to report the incident. Because of our proactive stance, we were able to reverse the payment and provide the customer with immediate support and aftercare.”
The mutual banking advantage
Effective scam prevention relies on more than technology alone. Strong customer relationships, local understanding and ongoing community education all play an important role in helping identify and disrupt fraud attempts before significant harm occurs.
“In regional communities, we know our customers and they know us – we live next door, our kids go to school together and we play sport together. That local knowledge and trust mean we’re better placed to notice when something isn’t right and step in early,” she explained.
She added: “Protecting customers from scams is an important part of creating a secure tomorrow. When people trust their bank to help safeguard their finances, that confidence strengthens families, businesses and the communities we serve.”
Financial crime rarely impacts just one person. In regional communities, the effects of a scam can extend to families, local businesses and the broader economy. Preventing fraud helps protect not only individual customers, but also the financial wellbeing of the communities they support.
“With our people-first ethos, customer-owned banks are deeply committed to protecting Australians from scams. This case demonstrates how the unique local knowledge held by mutual banks like Hume Bank acts in combination with smart technology and a highly skilled financial crimes team to create an important line of scam defence, helping keep customers and their savings secure,” COBA CEO Michael Lawrence said.
Customer-owned banks including Hume Bank and led by the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) joined forces with the Australian Banking Association in 2023 to create the Scam-Safe Accord. This industry-wide initiative represents a united front against scammers and reinforces the banking sector’s determination to strengthen consumer protection.
Find out more about the Scam-Safe Accord here.
How to stay safe from remote access scams:
- Be sceptical of pop-ups: Legitimate companies like Microsoft or Apple will never provide a phone number in a pop-up warning to ask for remote access.
- Never share your OTP: A One-Time Password is a key to your account; never share it with anyone, especially someone who called you.
- Watch for “ghost” activity: If your mouse begins moving on its own or programs open without your input, disconnect your internet immediately.