Bank ends freeze on student, talks about internet scam

A Hamilton student caught up in an internet scam has regained access to her bank account after having it frozen for three days.

But Sarah-Lee Ryan is vowing to ditch the ASB, claiming a fraud investigator made her feel "like a criminal".

Miss Ryan contacted the Times after her account was frozen by ASB following a mysterious deposit she was told was close to $500,000.

The bank now says the amount was less than $2000.

She said the bank's fraud investigator told her the money had come from a Westpac account and would be dishonoured last night by ASB.

It appeared to be part of a "phishing" scam, which would see Miss Ryan get an email from scammers asking her to deposit the funds into a third bank account after she had taken a percentage for herself.

Under the con, Miss Ryan would have been used as a "mule" a courier for the criminals. Although Miss Ryan had regained access to her account late yesterday afternoon, she said there was no sign of the deposit or its reversal when she checked at an ATM.

She remained unimpressed by the "abrupt and demanding attitude" of ASB's fraud investigation officer, who she said made her feel like a criminal. She planned to move to another bank as a result.

ASB head of corporate communications Debby Bell, who initially refused to discuss Miss Ryan's situation citing privacy issues, was more open with the Times yesterday. Ms Bell said she was "comfortable" with how the situation was handled by bank staff, and denied suggestions the sum was close to $500,000, saying it was less than $2000.

She also backed the fraud investigator who contacted Miss Ryan and said she had no reason to believe the investigator had been rude, pushy and abrupt. The company had tapes of the conversations with Miss Ryan which it would be checking.

Ms Bell reiterated it was usual bank policy to freeze customers' accounts in these situations.

The money was deposited after Miss Ryan received emails which she thought were from job-search website www.seek.co.nz. Seek's Australian-based product director Carey Eaton said the website and its administrators never asked for users' bank account details via email, a policy made clear on the site.