Leaked text messages reveal horror ordeal

News.com.au - 06/02
A Perth man who was left feeling “foolish and humiliated” when he lost $45,000 to a scammer was further devastated when he was tricked out of the rest of his life savings trying to recover the stolen funds.

A Perth man who was left feeling “foolish and humiliated” when he lost $45,000 to a scammer was further devastated when he was tricked out of the rest of his life savings trying to recover the stolen funds.

All up he was fleeced out of $115,000 and was forced to return to work just weeks after retiring – with his life turned upside down.

Often when scam victims have their savings stolen there is a focus on the financial fallout – but it goes well beyond that, creating a crisis in all aspects of their life, as they fall for tricks used in the likes of politics and gambling.

Victims feel shock, shame and stigma and experience isolation as they fear telling anyone what’s happened. In many cases there are relationship and family breakdowns, friendship breakups, mental health impacts and ongoing trust issues.

News.com.au has launched People Before Profit, calling on the federal government to make it mandatory for banks to compensate scam victims – just like in the UK.

In October last year, the UK introduced world leading legislation making compensation mandatory for scam victims within five business days unless in cases of gross negligence.

IT’S TIME BANKS PUT PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT. SIGN THE PETITION

Text messages from the second scammers. Picture: Supplied
They claimed they cou...
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