Every traveller’s worst nightmare: Love Island star Tayla Damir finds herself STRANDED in Lebanon with no money after her bank account was drained by hackers – and the Australian embassy ‘did nothing to help’
Love Island winner Tayla Damir went though every traveller’s worst nightmare when she was left stranded in Lebanon with no money, after hackers targeted her bank accounts and ‘stole her identity’.
The reality star, 22, had been targeted by hackers who ‘cleaned out’ both her business and personal bank accounts while she was travelling around Europe.
Taking to Instagram, Tayla told her followers that she is now safely back in Australia after the frightening ordeal that saw her seek help from the Australian Embassy in Lebanon, only to be told there was nothing they could do.
Sharing photos from her overseas trip, Tayla wrote in the caption: ‘I’ve landed back in Australia and God it feels good to be home safe.’
She had been travelling through Greece and Lebanon, but was left stranded after hackers targeted her accounts while she was away.
Tayla previously revealed how new bank cards sent to her home address had been stolen and her accounts ‘wiped clean’, but she wouldn’t be reimbursed for weeks.
‘God, it feels good to be home safe’: Love Island’s Tayla Damir has landed back in Australia after being left stranded in Lebanon with no money. Pictured during her European vacation
Tayla’s family in Australia had stepped in to help, sending her money when she arrived in Lebanon.
But hackers targeted her once again, leaving the model with nothing in her bank accounts.
She explained in a tearful Instagram video: ‘My family put money into my personal account so I could pay my bills, pay my rent and get back to Australia safely.
‘[But] I got an email saying a suspicious amount has come out of my personal account… all the money my family had just put in had been wiped!’
Stressful: The 22-year-old shared a video to Instagram, in which she accused the Australian Embassy in Lebanon and her bank NAB of being ‘unhelpful’ after she was targeted by hackers
Scary: Tayla had been travelling through Greece and Lebanon when she was targeted by hackers, who accessed and subsequently ‘wiped clean’ her bank accounts
The situation escalated when Tayla realised her Australian sim card had also been hacked, in addition to her email profiles.
Making matters worse, her bank had locked her out of her accounts and her PayPal password had been changed.
Hackers had been trying to access both her Instagram and Facebook accounts too.
Tayla sought help from the Australian Embassy in Lebanon, but claimed they ‘did nothing’ to help besides handing her a phone she could use.
Her bank, NAB, was also ‘unhelpful’, according to Tayla.
‘It’s pretty stressful’: Tayla said the frightening ordeal was made worse by the fact she only speaks English and couldn’t communicate with the locals in Lebanon
She claimed: ‘I pretty much got told as a 22-year-old, you are stranded in Lebanon with no money. Not our problem, we’ll deal with it in the morning.
‘I was so upset, bawling my eyes out in the embassy. It’s pretty scary to know that someone has stolen my identity.’
She added of the ordeal: ‘It’s so much harder when you’re on the other side of the world, with people who don’t speak your language and somebody is literally stealing your identity. It’s pretty stressful.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted NAB and the Australian Embassy in Lebanon for comment and clarification.
Frustrating: Hackers had gained access to Tayla’s accounts after her new bank cards that were delivered to her Australian address while she was overseas were stolen