In a pioneering initiative in Australia, ANZ's MoneyMinded financial education program has introduced a customer referral pathway to provide repeated and deeply affected scams victims with access to a complimentary financial education workshop on scams. This effort is carried out in collaboration with the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL).
The pathway directs victims of scams to a free two-hour session aimed at teaching self-protection against various scams including investment, dating, phishing, remote access, and employment-related scams.
Shaq Johnson, ANZ Head of Customer Protection, highlighted the seriousness of scams in Australia, noting: "Scams pose a significant threat to the financial wellbeing of Australians. Those who have fallen victim to scams before are at heightened risk of being targeted again, as cybercriminals store and exchange personal information. The MoneyMinded scams module aims to equip participants with the skills to identify scams and encourages them to seek support, ensuring their protection in the future."
He further noted that many victims hesitate to acknowledge their victimization: “Victims often do not want to believe that they have been scammed or feel ashamed to admit it to loved ones. Our referral pathway and MoneyMinded scams workshop help us identify, educate, and support entrenched scams victims so that they are not vulnerable to further exploitation online."
MoneyMinded is ANZ’s flexible educational program focused on enhancing adults' financial knowledge and skills, and its workshops are open to all Australians.
Rebecca Pinney Meddings from the Brotherhood of St. Laurence remarked: “Sadly, BSL and other charities and for-purpose organisations hear regularly from people who have been left devastated, both financially and emotionally, due to scams. In partnership with ANZ, we’re pleased to offer education and support through these critical workshops, to empower people and build their financial capability. We all need to know how we can protect ourselves against scams and what our rights and responsibilities are, and our workshops explore the common types of scams and how to spot them.”
Since the workshop's introduction, over 800 coaches have been trained to deliver the MoneyMinded program's new module. Community professionals interested in becoming accredited MoneyMinded Coaches can apply to use the program for client education.
Kerry, a MoneyMinded Coach, shared feedback on the resources: “The new scams resources have been extremely relevant…the content sparked meaningful conversations about scams they had already encountered, [and] they found the resources both relatable and practical.”
ANZ's customer protection services are available around the clock. Customers suspecting scams can reach out via 13 13 14 or visit the ANZ security page for further assistance.
More details on the MoneyMinded program and the BSL scams workshops are available online.