ANZ launches Mother’s Day initiative to raise awareness about financial scams

ANZ Bank New Zealand (ANZ NZ) today launched an initiative, ANZ Screen Savers, to encourage Kiwi families to become more security conscious, after research revealed that over half of over 65-year-olds have experienced an actual, or attempted scam in the last 12 months.

The new initiative asks Kiwi families to talk to their parents this Mother’s Day and help raise their awareness about scams by using the thing they love the most – photos of their grandchildren.

Kiwi families will be asked to take photos of their children holding a sign with banking safety tips and adding them to their grandparents’ devices as their wallpaper to serve as a reminder about steps they can take to avoid being scammed.​

The research revealed that 50% of over 65-year-olds have encountered an actual or attempted scam. More than half of those who were scammed lost money, however only half of those surveyed who have experienced a scam reported it, and even fewer spoke to their friends and family about it[1].

81% of New Zealanders 65-and-over worry about being scammed, and for one in ten it is an ever-present worry.

The research from ANZ also revealed that banks and media play a leading role informing the public about scams, with over two thirds of over 65-year-olds hearing updates via their bank.

It also shows that 54% of them love receiving photos of their children, or grandchildren via their mobile phones.

“Older adults are being impacted by a range of scams, especially impersonation, remote access, and phishing scams. Our research shows they’re afraid of being scammed but aren’t always aware of what to do to stay safe, and sometimes the information about how to stay safe can also feel a bit scary and complicated,” said Ben Kelleher, ANZ Managing Director for Personal Banking

“We want to do something to help protect them from scams, in a way they will be open to. So we’ve created a simple way for families to help their grandparents by adding the top three banking safely tips into family photos that they can save on their phone as a constant safety reminder.”

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Mr Kelleher says there are number of ways protect your banking, with the key reminders being that ANZ’s fraud team will never ask you for information the bank already holds, for example customer numbers, credit card numbers or two factor authentication codes.

ANZ will never request remote access to your device.

If you receive an unexpected phone call, voice message, email or text, you should never provide credit card details, VISA secure codes, two-factor authentication codes, or other confidential information.

We encourage people to hang up and phone back on a publicly-listed number if they want to check if the call was genuine.

The survey also found that two thirds of 65-year-olds are not fully aware of the consequences of scams and what to do if they are scammed, and 84% of them want information about internet safety, how to avoid being scammed and what to do if a scam occurs.

“Sadly, because of these scams, over-65-year-olds are experiencing a loss of confidence and they feel that their safety is being compromised. Only 29% of them are speaking to their families when scams occur, so we hope this simple initiative will encourage them to speak up and feel more at ease,” says Mr Kelleher.

Key findings from the OnePicture survey:

• Over half of New Zealanders 65 years and over have experienced an actual scam or attempted financial scam in the last 12 months

• For over one third the experience rocks their confidence and undermines their feeling of safety.

• 62% of scammers are most commonly impersonating a well-known company.

• Only half of those who have experienced an actual or attempted scam report it and even fewer speak to their friends or family about it.

• One in ten 65 and over have been scammed in the last 12 months.

• More than half of those who are scammed lose money.

• Those who do get scammed are more likely to have their confidence and feeling of safety compromised.

• Eight out of ten New Zealanders 65 and over worry about being scammed, for one in ten this is an ever present worry.

• There is an information gap with over two thirds not fully aware of the consequences of what can happen if they are financially scammed and/or what to do if they are scammed.

• 84% would be interested in getting information on internet safety, how to avoid being financially scammed and what to do if you are scammed.

• Banks and the news media currently play a lead role in informing about scams.75% of those surveyed hear about scams in the media and 69% hear via updates from their bank.

• Kiwis 65 and over are aware of a range of financial scams, but there is room to improve awareness of Investment, Romance, Phishing, and Impersonation scams with around two thirds aware of these types of scams.

To watch the ANZ Screen Savers Case Study click here and to find out more about how ANZ is helping over 65-year-olds stay safer online click here.

The banking safely tips and more information about how to create a wallpaper can be found at www.anz.co.nz/screensavers

For media enquiries, contact: Kristy Martin 021531402

[1] One Picture ANZ Survey, April 2023

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