Three months later, the woman has managed to get $6,000 back, but remains $9,000 out of pocket.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she fell victim to a fast-talking, smooth-talking scammer who called one evening in February while she was preparing dinner at home.
“I answered and a woman with a New Zealand-sounding accent, who spoke very matter-of-factly and very quickly, told me she was calling from Kiwibank.
“They had noticed unusual activity on my account, including a $500 charge to an online gambling company.
“She asked if I would have done that, but I assured them I certainly wouldn't.
“The caller talked and talked and talked.”
There were occasional pauses as the so-called Kiwibank representative said she was checking things and wanted to make sure everything was safe.
'To reassure me, she said she would text me a code.
“When I received it, I had to read it to the scammer.
“When I read her the last digit back, the hairs on the back of my neck went up and I thought, 'Oh my god, what have I just done? It's too late, I just read a new password to her.'
“I knew at that moment that I had been scammed.”
She called Kiwibank after discovering she couldn't log into her account.
Kiwibank confirmed she had been scammed.
The $15,000 had been transferred in six installments to two different bank accounts owned by genuine Kiwibank customers.
“The account holders had most likely agreed to their accounts being used for money laundering, and in return they would receive a percentage of the amount defrauded,” the woman said.
“The Kiwibank was great, especially the one in the local branch.
“Within three weeks I had gotten $6,000 back.
“I call Kiwibank monthly to see what progress has been made in recovering the remainder of the amount.
'They are trying, but they have so many customers who have been scammed.
“I'm so wary of everything now, and the scammer has destroyed my ability to trust so easily,” she said.
She said Kiwibank told her the scammer may not have known she was a Kiwibank customer. But when scammers call potential victims, they often take a chance and use the name of a bank, hoping to get lucky.
She reported the crime to the police.
She advised others who were unsure whether it was their bank or another company calling to hang up and call the company back.
By Dellwyn Moylan