Katrina Qian loses AUD $32,550 to phone scammer impersonating government official via HSBC account; bank initially refuses refund, offers 'goodwill' payment

Summary

Katrina Qian, an Australian HSBC customer, lost approximately AUD $32,550 (reported variously as ~$50,000 AUD) in the first half of 2023 after a scammer posing as a government official called her and requested her bank account details to 'stop suspicious transactions.' Her HSBC account was drained and the funds converted to sterling pounds and transferred overseas without the bank flagging the transaction. HSBC initially refused to reimburse her, claiming she was responsible for disclosing her login credentials. She appealed to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, which ruled in her favour. HSBC then offered a $9,500 'goodwill' payment — less than a third of her loss — which she accepted under protest. The case was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald as part of broader coverage of bank refusal to compensate scam victims.