Big Banks Warn Businesses of Kimberley Scam Cluster

Two major banks, NAB and Westpac, are sounding the alarm on a sophisticated scam cluster targeting businesses in Western Australia's remote Kimberley region. The East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry has reported multiple incidents of fake calls impersonating bank employees, with one business falling victim to the scam.

The scammers, who are operating as a "global business", predominantly based in South-East Asia, have been using phone calls to trick businesses into divulging sensitive information. The scams have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars being lost, with multiple attempts made by the scammers before being thwarted.

Business Owners Warned to Be Vigilant

Kununurra business owner Troy Lewis received a scam call from a person claiming to work for Westpac. Mr. Lewis said the call sounded so legitimate, he thought it could have been artificial intelligence.

"I asked the type of details he [the scammer] would need and he proceeded to do a very good disclaimer saying, 'The bank would never ask for PIN numbers or passwords over the phone,'" Mr. Lewis recalled. "The call only ended when I asked the scammer for a customer reference number."

"We've got a policy to always ask for a reference number, and then we'd call the bank back directly," Mr. Lewis explained. "I felt a little bit silly asking him … because it did sound very legitimate."

Experts Warn of the Dangers

NAB executive Chris Sheehan said while customers had reported a decrease in impersonation scams over recent years, the operations remained a "global epidemic" with "devastating consequences".

"This highlights the need for a coordinated, national approach to stop the crime before it happens," Mr. Sheehan warned.

Banks Reiterate Importance of Technology and Education

Westpac's fraud protection team head, Ben Young, said while bank scams were not new, the bank was seeing an increase in scammers targeting regional businesses.

"Obviously, businesses move around large amounts of money, so it's an attractive target for them," Mr. Young explained. "We do see little clusters like this where they're working through some directory that they've found."

Mr. Young said the scammers operated as a "global business", with almost townships set up to run big-scale call centres and huge emphasis on good English skills.

Scamwatch Warns of Rising Scams

According to Scamwatch, more than $6.5 million has been lost to telephone scammers in 2025 through hacking, identity theft, phishing, and downloading remote access software.

"Out of the 9,750 reported scams, 898 have occurred in Western Australia," Scamwatch noted.

What Can Businesses Do to Protect Themselves?

"There is no silver bullet for stopping the criminals," said Chris Sheehan. "But businesses can take steps to protect themselves by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity."

Both NAB and Westpac are urging people to report any suspicious behaviour and to contact their bank immediately if they suspect a scam.

Contact Your Bank

"Anyone subject to potential banking fraud should contact their bank," emphasized Mr. Sheehan. "Don't hesitate to reach out – it's better to be safe than sorry."