UOB has announced that by the end of 2025, every branch in Singapore will have staff trained to identify and assist potential victims of familial financial abuse. This move is part of a new initiative developed in partnership with NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB), a Continuing Education and Training provider in Singapore.
The training programme aims to help staff understand the complexities of familial financial abuse and respond to cases with greater empathy and skill. So far, three pilot sessions have been held for 60 branch staff. The bank plans to train 400 employees across all its 53 branches and Privilege Banking Centres by the end of next year.
Benny Chan, Managing Director, Group Channels and Digitalisation at UOB, said: “Our branch staff often serve as the first and last line of defence against financial abuse for customers visiting our branches, especially the elderly and vulnerable. Financial abuse perpetrated by family members is particularly insidious and heartbreaking, with such cases oftentimes being more sensitive and challenging for our staff to handle. However, as responsible custodians of our customers’ monies, we must act decisively and proactively to prevent such cases from propagating.”
He added: “Being the first financial institution to train our frontline staff to better spot and assist potential victims, we hope to empower our branch frontliners in their vital role to spearhead the bucking of this trend.”
Tay Ee Learn, Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Sector Skills Officer at NTUC LearningHub, commented: "This training programme, developed in collaboration with UOB, exemplifies how tailored, sector-specific learning not only fulfils organisational needs but also addresses pressing social challenges, such as familial financial abuse. By integrating real-life branch scenarios and immersive role-plays, we ensure that learners are empowered with both theoretical and practical frontline-ready knowledge and skills. As Singapore faces a rapidly ageing population, initiatives like this play an important role in fostering a culture of care, empathy, and inclusiveness across all sectors”.
The seven-hour course—titled “Shielding Vulnerable Customers from Potential Financial Abuse”—teaches staff how to spot signs of familial financial abuse. It covers engaging sensitively with affected customers; responding appropriately if an abuser is present; involving government or social agencies when needed; theory lessons; role-plays based on real situations; competency assessments; as well as modules reflecting actual customer service experiences.
UOB worked closely with NTUC LHUB to adapt the curriculum using insights from previous cases at its branches. The content supports UOB’s existing SPOT framework (Sense, Probe, Observe and Take Action), which guides employees on handling suspicious transactions—including reporting them internally or alerting authorities.
Michelle Choong, Deputy Branch Manager at UOB PLQ Branch said: “Familial financial abuse is an area that is of growing concern for us. Victims often have close relationships with their abusers, making it challenging for branch staff to intervene. This training emphasises the need to stay alert, act carefully, and protect customers while respecting their independence — especially when there are signs of manipulation or unusual account activity.”
She added: “After graduating from this training programme, I hope to share the knowledge and skills I’ve learnt with my branch colleagues so we are better able to protect our customers from this very distressing circumstance.”
Recent reports highlight that detecting signs of elder financial abuse can be difficult because victims often maintain close ties with their abusers. The Ministry of Social and Family Development has indicated that it is looking into instances where seniors experience financial exploitation by family members (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spotting-signs-of-financial-abuse-among-the-elderly-in-singapore-why-are-they-so-hard-to-detect).