Westpac banker’s instinct saves customer from $1.2 million scam

Marina Karpathios
11:24am August 06 2026

A single extra letter in an email address was all that stood between a first-home buyer and the loss of $1.2 million. (Image credit: Unsplash)

A Westpac banker’s quick judgement has saved a Western Australian customer from losing $1.2 million to a sophisticated payment redirection scam.

 

The customer had visited Westpac’s Riverton branch to make what she believed was a routine transfer. 

 

The young mum was buying her first home, preparing for property settlement later that day. 

 

Within minutes, personal banker Neet Kukreja sensed something was off.

 

She had worked closely with the customer throughout her homebuying journey and the urgency of the request did not match earlier conversations.

 

“The tone [of this email] was slightly different. It didn’t read like the previous emails, and that made me pause,” says Kukreja.

 

Kukreja cross-checked the email against internal records and noticed the staff member named in the reply was on leave. 

 

She then spotted a tiny detail in the sender’s email address - an extra letter that made it look legitimate at a glance. 

 

“The email asked her to transfer funds into a settlement account, which didn’t line up with how these payments usually work,” she recalls.

 

Trusting her instinct, rather than processing the transfer, Kukreja paused and took time to speak further with the customer and the branch manager.

 

Together they contacted the settlement agent who confirmed no such request for payment had been made. 

 

It was quickly uncovered the agent’s email account had been compromised, allowing scammers to send incredibly convincing - but fake - payment instructions. 

 

“When you’re dealing with someone’s life savings, you can’t afford to ignore that gut feeling,” Kukreja says.

 

By the time the scam was uncovered, the customer was visibly distressed and in tears at the close call. 

 

The sophisticated scammers used every tool at their disposal, including pushing for urgency, a pressure point that nearly forced the transfer through.

 

Kukreja said knowing the customer and her circumstances made it easier to spot when something did not add up.

 

“This was everything she had, her savings plus a loan... losing that money would have been devastating,” says Kukreja.

 

Property settlements a target for scammers 

 

Property transactions are a prime target because buyers expect urgency and complexity, which scammers exploit.

 

Westpac says property related scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with criminals deliberately targeting moments when buyers are under pressure to move large sums quickly, such as contract exchanges and settlements.

 

Scammers commonly impersonate conveyancers, solicitors or agents using hacked email accounts, sending changes to payment instructions that appear legitimate and urgent.

 

The incident comes as new data from the National Anti‑Scam Centre reveals Australians lost $166.8 million to payment redirection scams last year. 

 

Westpac’s Head of Fraud Prevention, Ben Young, is urging anyone buying property to slow down and verify any request to transfer funds.

 

“Buying a property is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will ever make and unfortunately scammers will try to take advantage of that. 

 

“Anyone asked to transfer funds should slow down and verify the details before, particularly if payment instructions change unexpectedly or come through on email. 

 

“A quick phone call can make all the difference and help prevent life-changing losses,” says Young. 

 

Young’s tips to avoid a property scam: 

 

  1. Confirm payment details using known contact details, not email replies
  2. Question any last-minute changes to instructions
  3. Contact your bank immediately if something feels off

 

In this case, the Riverton branch team also contacted the settlement agent to help alert other clients, potentially preventing further losses.

 

“Scammers rely on urgency and fear. Taking a moment to pause, ask questions and verify details could save you a fortune,” Kukreja says. 

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