A Swiss woman has lost a $150,000 inheritance after a wire transfer was hacked by Nigerian scammers 

Revealed: How ‘Nigerian hackers’ were able to swindle woman, 67, out of $150,000 from the sale of her home – and how it could happen to anyone

  • A fraudulent transaction has cost one woman her $150,000 inheritance
  • Funds belonging to Mireille Appert, 67,  were deposited to another account 
  • Authorities believe she may be the victim of a Nigerian hacking scam

A woman lost almost $150,000 from the sale of her Australian home in what is believed to be a Nigerian hacking scam. 

Mireille Appert, who is Swiss but lives in America, was due to pocket $150,000 from the sale of a Queensland house belonging to her late uncle John Appert.

However,  it is believed that the fraud occurred when a conveyancer with KF Solicitors Kingaroy, sent $148,554 to a company account unconnected to Ms Appert.

Ms Appert is (with her uncle, right) still waiting for the issue to be resolved by her solicitors 

Ms Appert was set to inherit $150,000 from the sale of this house, before the 'Nigerian scam'

Ms Appert was set to inherit $150,000 from the sale of this house, before the ‘Nigerian scam’

Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia, Ms Appert said that US authorities believed she had fallen victim to a Nigerian hacking scam.

‘The initial transfer was on a Wednesday mid last year, and I was expecting to receive the money the same day or the next day,’ Ms Appert said.

‘I didn’t see anything coming in, and on Friday I got an email from KF Solicitors asking for my full name as it appear on my bank statement, to “locate my funds.”‘  

Ms Appert (pictured) became concerned after receiving emails requesting her bank details

Ms Appert (pictured) became concerned after receiving emails requesting her bank details

‘I sent them an email but the fraudsters were able to delete my email and send another to the solicitors with their “corporate name” instead.’

‘I was starting to worry, and sent a couple of emails again the next week (we also called twice to make sure they made the wire). 

‘But the following Thursday morning, we got a fake email with a fake bank confirmation that the money was transferred.

‘I thought at first that was strange to send a “fake confirmation” and we waited until Thursday night to call the solicitors and ask about the funds.’ 

The fraudulent transaction relates to this Blackbutt property beloning to Ms Appert's late uncle John

The scam relates to this Blackbutt home, belonging to Ms Appert’s late uncle John

Ms Appert said she then made the horrifying discovery that some of the emails had been sent by fraudsters.  

‘I was told for the first time that the money was sent to the “corporate account” and we knew at that time that the money was stolen,’ said Ms Appert.

‘We then spent a few hours on the phone with the solicitors to find out what happened, but I haven’t received much support or information from them since.’ 

Ms Appert’s son Alexandre Matti also weighed in on his mother’s misfortune.

‘It’s been more than five months now and my mother is without her money and without her house,’ he told the Courier Mail. 

‘The worst and most difficult (thing) right now for her is knowing that she should have approximately $150,000 in her bank account, but instead, she tries to deal every day with debt collectors and financial struggle.’ 

 

 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk