It was a message asking if Mrs Gardener, a Redcliffe-based Catholic, wanted to approve a payment of $349 to a business she did not recognise.

If she did not want the payment to go through, she had to call a number provided in the message to speak with a representative from her bank.

She called the number and was put in a queue, which seemed typical, and she spoke to a "very kind man".

He spoke with an Australian accent and reassured Mrs Gardener that she had "done the right thing" to notify them about the suspicious activity.

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