Latest scams alerts

November 2023

Websites impersonating Macquarie Bank’s online banking login page have been identified in the form of ads displayed in search engine results.

This is a common form of phishing scam where fake websites are created to look like an organisation’s login page to mislead customers into sharing their confidential information such as their login details or passwords.

These phishing websites ask for a customer’s Macquarie ID, password, one time passcode, and card details, which are then used to make fraudulent account and card transactions.

In this instance, fraudsters pay for these ads to show up in the top search results, which misleads customers into believing the search result is genuine. After clicking the link, the customer is automatically redirected to a fake website, where they’re at risk of having their personal and financial information captured and compromised.

What to look out for

Check for misspelled words in the advertisement URL and avoid clicking on the advertisement, even if it appears in the top search result.

You can see an example below of a phishing advertisement.

What to do

Never click on any links that take you directly to a Macquarie online banking login page.

Type macquarie.com.au into your browser and click on the login button on the page to log into online banking instead of through internet searches or links.

If you've been impacted by this phishing advertisement, please email scams@macquarie.com immediately.

December 2023

A new term deposit scam impersonating Macquarie is currently being circulated through cold calls and emails, offering investments into term deposits.

What to look out for

A fake brochure with Macquarie-like branding, sent from email addresses similar to our own. You can see an example of what the scam looks like below.

Click here for information on how to correctly open a Macquarie Bank Term Deposit, with links to our current term deposit rates.

If you’ve been impacted by this scam, please email scams@macquarie.com immediately.

We’re seeing an emerging trend of scammers contacting clients, usually by SMS or a phone call, impersonating the fraud team of various banks, including Macquarie. These scammers often use a tactic known as “spoofing” where they make their calls appear to have come from legitimate Macquarie phone numbers, or a legitimate Macquarie sender name in the case of SMS (see the image below for some examples).
 

Scam text message example
 

How the scam works

Here are some of the red flags to look out for with this scam:

• The scammers generally state that they’re looking to verify a transaction or some other suspicious activity.
• They go through verbal identification, much like our own, and then may ask you provide them with “codes” that you receive either by SMS or via the Macquarie Authenticator app, so they can cancel these transactions.
• These codes, in addition to the personal details gained during verbal identification are really being used to either gain access to your online banking and/or authorising payments from your account that the scammers have gained access to.
• Another method they often use is asking that you log in and transfer funds to another “safe” account that they have created for you.
• This “safe” account is one that they control, and the scammers are just waiting for your funds to be deposited so they can steal them.

What we'll never ask you

From time to time, our fraud team may need to contact you to verify certain transactions, which may require verbal identification, however, they will never ask you for or to do the following:

• Ask you to provide online passwords, SMS security codes, or Authenticator app codes (for any reason).
• Request you log into online banking via a link they have sent you.
• Ask you to transfer money to another account to keep it safe.
• Ask you to download software or request remote access to your device.
• Send you your Macquarie access code via email and ask you to repeat it to them.
• Provide you with details about your account to “prove” they are legitimate.

If you have doubts that you’re speaking with a legitimate Macquarie employee, request a reference number and call back on a number you have found from a valid source, like the Macquarie website or the number on the back of your bank card.

If you have any doubts that Macquarie branded correspondence you have received is legitimate, do not respond, this can be forwarded through to scams@macquarie.com for review and confirmation of legitimacy.

How to contact us

If you suspect that you may have been affected by this scam and if you’ve provided personal details or your funds have been transferred, please call us immediately on 133 174 (and for international locations on +61 2 8245 4470).

If you suspect you’ve received calls or an SMS, but you haven’t shared any details or transferred any funds, please report the scam by emailing scams@macquarie.com.

We’re aware of scammers claiming to be Bond Street Custodians Limited employees, contacting people through cold calls, emails, and social media, offering bond or investment opportunities. The scammers are including the real Bond Street Custodians Limited AFSL number (237489), and ABN (57008607065) on fake prospectuses and emails in an attempt to prove their legitimacy.

Bond Street Custodians Limited, which is a part of the Macquarie Group of companies, provides custodial services only. It does not provide bond or investment opportunities directly to members of the public. Bond Street Custodians Limited does not have its own branding*, email domains, or websites.

If you suspect that you may have been affected by this scam, you should stop all contact with the party you’ve been communicating with and contact us immediately by emailing scams@macquarie.com.

*Last known branding used by scammers,

-note, this could be different to what they use in the future

We’re aware that Macquarie’s name is being used by scammers to fraudulently solicit fake Term Deposit, ESG Bond and other types of Bond and Investment applications.

Below is information on how to correctly open a Macquarie Bank Term Deposit, with links to our current Term Deposit rates.

If you’ve been affected, please contact us by calling 133 174 (or for international locations +61 2 8245 4470) or by emailing scams@macquarie.com immediately.

How do I know if I am correctly opening a Macquarie Bank Term Deposit?

You can only open a Macquarie Bank Term Deposits by visiting macquarie.com.au/everyday-banking/term-deposits and clicking on ‘Apply now’. You won’t be asked to transfer funds to establish a Macquarie Bank Term Deposit, rather we will direct debit the account number that you provide to us in your Macquarie Bank Term Deposit application.

Alternatively, your adviser can apply for a Macquarie Bank Term Deposit by logging into our secure portal Adviser Online with their designated Macquarie ID and password. Once they have submitted an application on your behalf, you’ll receive an email to review your application and links to our Product Information Statement.

In both cases, you’ll be issued with a one-off secure PIN which is required to submit your application. If you have additional account holders, they will receive similar emails to review the application and accept our terms and conditions.

Our only offer documents consist of the following:

• Product Information Statement

If you suspect that you may have been affected by this scam, you should cease all contact with the party you’ve been communicating with and contact us immediately by calling 133 174 (for international locations +61 2 8245 4470) or by emailing scams@macquarie.com.