Andrew Ryder, a business owner from Townsville, has decided to make significant changes to his phone usage and provider after experiencing a harrowing incident involving his Optus account being hacked for the second time in a short period. Following the first attack where he lost $10,000, Mr. Ryder had to replace crucial documents like his driver's license and Medicare card and update his banking information, yet still found himself targeted by scammers who gained unauthorized access to his phone number.
The initial breach occurred when scammers contacted Optus pretending to be Mr. Ryder and managed to transfer his phone number to a new SIM card, enabling them to carry out fraudulent activities that led to the theft of $10,000 from his bank account. Despite Optus's efforts to help him recover his phone number, the scammers regained control and changed the contact number associated with his account in another attack on April 7. Mr. Ryder expressed frustration and disbelief that the fraudsters were able to breach his account a second time, prompting him to take drastic steps to secure his personal and business phone numbers.
In response to the incidents, Optus provided Mr. Ryder with security recommendations to protect his account, such as changing his phone and account number and being added to a "hot list" that requires in-person verification at an Optus branch for any orders. Despite hesitating initially due to the long association of his phone number with his business, the repeated breaches compelled Mr. Ryder to make the difficult decision to change his numbers and part ways with Optus. He expressed concerns about potential mail redirection and further fraud attempts, highlighting the significant impact of the hacking incidents on his business operations and peace of mind.