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Westpac’s urgent warning to customers: ‘Just hang up’

Westpac customers have been targeted by a new text message scam.

Tamika Seeto
·Finance Reporter
·2-min read
Image of Westpac sign with people walking past and scam text message.
Westpac has issued a warning to customers over a new text message scam. (Source: AAP/Westpac)

Westpac has issued a warning to customers over a convincing new text message scam, which tries to steal users’ personal and banking details.

Scammers are impersonating the major bank and sending text messages to customers that claim their Westpac Protect SMS Code mobile number has changed.

The scammers then try to trick the recipient into calling a fake Westpac number to fix the supposed error.

Westpac warned its customers to not fall for the fake text message and to not call the phone number provided.

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“Scammers often use genuine wording from organisations in an attempt to appear legitimate, but make small changes to links or phone numbers to avoid recipients identifying the scam,” the major bank said.

“Be aware - if you call the number in this message, you will not be speaking with Westpac. It will be a scammer. They are likely to request your personal or banking information. Do not provide any of this information. Just hang up.”

Westpac scam text message.
Westpac shared an example of the scam text. (Source: Westpac)

Westpac said customers should never share their Online Banking Security Codes with a third party, not even Westpac.

If you receive an email, SMS or other request that you think is a scam, Westpac said it was a good idea to report it to them, before deleting it from your index and deleted items on your device.

You can forward a copy of the scam message to hoax@westpac.com.au or 0497 132 032.

$3.1 billion lost to scams

Aussies lost a record $3.1 billion to scams last year, an 80 per cent increase on the total losses recorded in 2021.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Targeting Scams report found investment scams accounted for the biggest losses ($1.5 billion), followed by remote-access scams ($229 million) and payment-redirection scams ($224 million).

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