Bendigobank.com.au

I received a scam sms pretending to be from Bendigo bank. I DIDNT CLICK ON IT & phoned their H. O. to let them know about it, so they could let potentially vulnerable customers be aware of one of the best scammy fake sms I've seen. Instead of them thanking me for the link and tip off, they locked me out of ALL internet banking UNLESS I pay to get my smart phone "cleaned" and only then can they re-activate my internet/mobile/app banking. I asked "who do you recommend to do this", they said they don't know, but I have to show proof/receipt that I've had it done, all my internet banking/card access is denied.

I told them I'd deleted my cookies, caches and browsing history and did a factory reset on my phone, but not good enough for them. They wanted me to have some pro to do what I can do. But to have a paid receipt as proof. I asked "if I buy a new phone, and dump my one in acid... can you reactivate my online banking?" Computer say "no". Total unreasonable and nonsensical behaviour by Bendigo Bank.
H. O. Said if I take a stat declaration to a branch, saying that I won't hold the bank responsible if there's a breach in internet banking, they'll re-activate my account... (this sounds like blackmail to me).

I downloaded and filled out stat declaration form, read that bankers//bank managers are authorised people to witness them. I stood in the Caulfield North branch for an hour, whilst staff phoned around head office and told me, they were "keeping me safe" as I may have signed into malware.

I repeated again, I DIDN'T CLICK ON THE DODGY SMS, I'm sorry I reported it to you or I wouldn't be in this position, and there is no such thing as a professional phone cleaning service, unless its another scam. I've factory reset my phone, but that's not good enough for you? But you still locked me out of online banking? After after an hour online, and another hour on my phone, and was finally told, that they couldn't witness or stat dec activate y account, as it would be a conflict of interest... DOH? (big Homer Simpson eyeroll)

I drove to get stat dec signed. (I went to 4 authorised places, before it happened - this Monty Python drama got worse, I'll do other review about that)

This whole scam/spam experience lasted 6 hours, from me reporting the dodgy sms, to finally getting access back into online banking. This wasted my one day off a week, 1/2 tank of petrol and lots of stress. Bank elsewhere or just never ever let anyone know you got spam sms or you'll be locked out of your life. Gag making big brother type of corporate bullying.