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Hackers foiled in attempt to steal $90,000 from church abuse survivor in email compromise scam

By Airlie Ward

At 54, Steve Fisher thought he was finally about to realise his dream of home ownership when hackers robbed him of $90,000.

Mr Fisher had long thought he may not be able to buy a home in his lifetime.

After being abused as a young boy by an Anglican priest, the quest for justice took a toll

Mr Fisher faces a daily battle with PTSD, anxiety and depression.

This year, he reached a compensation settlement with the Anglican Church and planned to use that money to purchase a home in Tasmania’s north-west.

“I was happy with the settlement and then everything went south,” he said.

The conveyancing lawyer Mr Fisher used sent him an email with settlement details and an account to transfer the $90,000 to.

After he made the transfer, Mr Fisher said he received a phone call from the lawyer asking where the money was – the email had been intercepted by a hacker and the account details changed.