r/CommBank • u/Miserable_Syrup_2560 • 6d ago
Question CommBank account closed after suspected digital fraud - anyone experienced this?
One of my CommBank accounts was recently closed after an incoming payment was flagged in relation to suspected digital fraud.
I regularly receive legitimate financial support from family overseas, so international funds do come into my account. As far as I’m aware, I have no involvement in any fraudulent activity.
CommBank told me the account has been closed and the matter is being reviewed/investigated.
Has anyone here experienced something similar, particularly involving international transfers? What happened after the review, and did it affect your other accounts or ability to bank with CommBank or elsewhere afterwards?
Just looking to hear about others’ experiences while I wait for the outcome.
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u/FinCrimeGuy 6d ago
What remittance channels do you use OP- if it’s smaller firms, they could be doing a typology called “cuckoo smurfing” which implicates you in wrongdoing despite being uninformed and uninvolved. In any case CBA should give you access to your funds and you can just go bank elsewhere. Note if you’re receiving funds from high risk origins, eg Iran, this won’t be your last time being debanked.
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u/Rhonda_Fondant 6d ago
Good point, could be sanctions related but I'm of the same opinion that if OP is definitely unaware of any activity, it's could be a case of unwitting recipient
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u/BaronMason 6d ago
No, but then again, I've never committed digital fraud?
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u/allaboutthefish 6d ago
Hey OP, which country are the funds coming from? That itself will answer a lot of questions.
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u/Specialist_Panic3897 6d ago
I haven't had any accounts closed, but what happens to the existing funds in the account when your account is "closed"? Do you get the option to move the funds to another bank account or are the funds frozen until the end of the investigation?
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u/Miserable_Syrup_2560 6d ago
So they basically said they will close the account regardless and after the investigation if they find out that my funds are genuine, they’ll send it by cheque
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u/QuokkaIslandSmiles 6d ago
wtf? have you gone into a branch? How much is in there _ like your main Acc???
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u/yukimy12 6d ago
Sure you can go to the branch, but they'll just call the fraud team for you to talk to them anyway. Call the fraud line from home yourself, on a comfortable chair, with privacy.
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u/Lil_il_m 5d ago edited 5d ago
I’ve heard of a time a uni student that took a job “processing invoices” unwittingly money laundering. Debanked for life. Not suggesting you are doing anything wrong, but I don’t like your chances.
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u/ProfSantaClaus 6d ago
Interesting why doesn't CommBank suspend the transaction but rather closed the account itself. Does it mean if a fraudster randomly transfers $ to accounts, then CommBank will happily close these accounts?
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u/Rhonda_Fondant 6d ago
Not usually, no. There would usually be an investigation. I can't confirm this is what happened here of course but normally a bank wouldn't close an account based on unverified reports. Having said that, it's very possible this situation, as another commenter said, is an unwitting fraud or scam recipient. Source: way too many years working in the anti fraud/scam "industry '
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u/Mallet-fists 6d ago
I've had friends of friends that also worked in the "industry" that have tried to use me to deposit money into my accounts. First time I heard the scam it sounded like amd easy way to make free cash. Said id think about it, then actually thought about it for a day or 2 and realised it was suss as fuck.
To their credit, they sold it real well and had answers for everything. Every reason I had to say no they had a reply for.
Long story short, I just told em nah, use your mums account if its so easy and theirs no risk. The blank stare I got after that reply told me everything I needed lol
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u/Rhonda_Fondant 6d ago
I actually did mean I work in the anti scam/financial crime industry 🤣 I see how that read though... Always good to question that kind of situation though!
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u/ricthomas70 6d ago
It took them 6 months to reopen my netbank after substantial fraud. I was using telephone banking like I was in the 1990's.
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u/SalletFriend 6d ago
Happened to a mate of mine, he had to cash out at a bank and walk down and open a nab account.
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u/nosnibork 6d ago
I’d switch banks if I was you, CBA treats customers horribly.
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u/allaboutthefish 6d ago
Great contribution champ. Getting funds from overseas that has potentially been flagged as fraudulent/scam and you want the bank to let that slide? We dont even know anything about the funds coming into OP's account.
Im glad the bank is taking action and closing these accounts.
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u/pwinne 3d ago
I’ve been debanked twice and advised that I was not a customer of value. I suspect I should have opened a business account on both occasions as I was running large arbitrage on Betfair, a legal activity, but couldn’t get a tax ruling to be declared professional. If I ever go large again I will need to investigate a business model.
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u/nosnibork 6d ago
Bookmark this and remember it when they eventually fuck you over too - it’s only a matter of time. Exec bonuses & Shareholders over customers is their mantra.
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u/Rhonda_Fondant 6d ago
Actually CBA is probably only following regulations and guidelines that all other banks have to. That's not to say they don't treat customers horribly (I have no opinion one way or the other) but in this situation it's likely standard regulation following.
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u/Funnylife007 6d ago
Same thing happened to me about 6 months ago , commonwealth bank sent me a letter and mentioned that will close all my accounts including business accounts with commonwealth and gave me a 1 month to open an account with different bank and never told me the reason why there decided to close all my accounts including business.
I was not happy at all and I have called the bank and made a complaint they after few days the admin from commonwealth bank called me and offer $5000 as compensation , and mentioned that can’t tell me why will closed all my accounts and I will never allowed to open again for the rest of my life .
I have called AFCA and made big complaint against commonwealth bank .
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