Thousands of BNZ staff mobilise to take on scammers

Thousands of Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) staff will hit the road next week, taking to malls and libraries, rest homes and RSAs, and visiting community groups and businesses to help New Zealanders be safer online and avoid being scammed.

In some regions BNZ staff are going the extra mile. BNZ’s Hastings team will be driving hundreds of kilometers during the week visiting Gisborne and the Wairarapa to conduct sessions with rural customers and organisations, and in Coromandel, Banking Adviser Lorna Field has already reached capacity for a scam savvy session conducted in the local hall next week.

In Wellington, the BNZ Customer, Products and Services team will be showing up in six local libraries, three Citizens Advice Bureaus and conducting a session with the Wellington Indian Association, and BNZ Scam Savvy will be in the Beehive on Monday 26 August with BNZ CEO Angie Mentis.

Paul Carter, BNZ Chief Customer Officer, says, “Unfortunately we see heartbreaking stories all the time and not a week goes by without one of our staff helping a customer who is being scammed.

“BNZ bankers regularly stop customers transferring thousands of dollars to scammers who are impersonating trusted, NZ organisations or offering prizes, grants and lottery wins.

“Scammers are taking advantage of good people and we’re determined to help New Zealanders know what to look for and how to avoid scams so they can be safer online,” he says.

BNZ’s Scam Savvy week (August 26 – 30) will see BNZ branches and Partner Centres hosting Scam Savvy sessions and staffing Scam Savvy Schools in malls and local communities to guide people through the types of scams that typically target New Zealanders, and show them what to look for and what to do if they are scammed.

Carter says, “There’s been significant demand for our Scam Savvy sessions. We’ve got more than 600 sessions booked at our branches and Partner Centres across the country and are running sessions with the police, businesses, community organisations and associations.

“We want the digital world to feel like a safe space for people. Scam Savvy will help give Kiwis the confidence to identify and deal with scams. It will improve their online experience, reduce harm and benefit us all,” says Carter.

Anyone can take part in a Scam Savvy session by contacting their local BNZ branch or visiting the following malls between 9am – 5pm over the course of next week:

• Auckland: Albany Westfield, Manukau Westfield, St Lukes Westfield, Sylvia Park

• Hamilton: Chartwell Westfield

• Wellington: Queensgate Mall, Johnsonville Mall, North City Plaza

• Christchurch: Riccarton Westfield

BNZ’s Scam Savvy tools can also be found at: https://www.getscamsavvy.co.nz/.

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