Bank alerts save furniture firm from $118,000 scam
A Melbourne furniture business recovered $118,000 after nearly losing it to email fraud.
A Melbourne furniture business nearly lost $118,000 to a scam. A staff member called Kate received legitimate emails about a $118,000 outdoor furniture order.
Then she saw follow-up messages claiming the supplier's bank details had changed. The scammers pressed her to transfer funds urgently.
Kate's bank flagged the transaction as suspicious. She checked directly with the supplier and confirmed it was fraud.
Victoria Police worked with federal cybercrime teams to block the payment. They recovered all the money.
Police cybercrime squads have logged 107 reports of similar scams since July.
- $118,000
- Amount recovered
- Melbourne's Bayside area
- Location
- 107 since July
- Reports to Victoria Police
- $166.8 million in 2025
- Payment redirection scam losses
Why it mattersThousands of Australian businesses face similar email fraud attempts. Payment redirection scams cost Australia $166.8 million in 2025 alone.
AustraliaAustralian small businesses face increasing email fraud risks; alerts and swift verification can recover funds, but awareness and swift reporting are critical.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
