fbpx
Skip to main content
Financial Assistance Hub

News

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) is the information source for the news media on the Australian banking industry, providing information, analysis and context on industry issues.

The ABA plays an active role in the public dialogue on banking and financial services, providing commentary on broader industry issues and facilitating access to other sources of information.

For media inquiries contact [email protected] or 0475 741 007.


Media Releases
Banks welcome more progress in scams war as losses fall
11 March 2025

Banks are continuing to play their part in the fight against scammers, as the ABA welcomes a new report showing scam losses fell by almost 26 per cent last year.   The ABA acknowledges the release of the 2024 Targeting Scams Report by the National Anti-Scam Centre showing combined reported scam losses fell by $700 million… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
ABA CEO Anna Bligh interview on FiveAA Adelaide
3 March 2025

Graeme Goodings (Host): Hardly a day goes by that we don’t talk about scams. I mean, we’re ever alert, but the scammers seem to be one step ahead, half a step ahead, best, and all we can do is put out warnings to you on a regular basis. Joining me now is CEO of the… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
ABA CEO Anna Bligh interview on Sunrise
3 March 2025

Natalie Barr (Host): Well, as we kick off into footy season, the Australian Banking Association is urging Aussies to remain vigilant with ticketing scams. Matt Shervington (Host): People buying resale tickets to footy games on social media are being told to watch out for the warning signs as the growing number of criminals take advantage… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
Don’t drop the ball this footy season, look out for ticket scammers
3 March 2025

Download radio grabs from ABA CEO Anna Bligh here. With the footy season kicking off, fans looking to get their hands on high demand or last-minute tickets are being urged to exercise extra vigilance and be on alert for ticket scams.  The ABA is warning passionate supporters to not fall victim to ticket scammers –… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Interview with ABC Sydney Drive on HELP debts and lending  
13 February 2025

Chris Bath (Host): What’s been your experience of getting finance to buy a house while you’re juggling your HECS HELP debt? Still finding it hilarious actually, that the word help even features in university debt acronyms, but that’s a whole other can of worms. You might have heard the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, out and about… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Interview with ABC Riverland on Romance Scams
12 February 2025

Stephanie Nitschke (Host): Now, locals are being urged to guard our hearts and our bank accounts in the lead up to Valentine’s Day. Scammers will be ramping up and preying on romantics and vulnerable people. Last year, Australians reported over 3000 romance scams, that’s $24 million. So, it does pay to be extra vigilant at… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
ABA CEO Anna Bligh interview with Channel 7 Afternoon News
10 February 2025

e&oe Mike Amor (Host): There’s a warning from our big banks ahead of Valentine’s Day to be aware of romance and dating scams, with Australians losing almost $24 million last year. Joining me now is the CEO of the Australian Banking Association, Anna Bligh. Anna, good to see you. International gangs are using artificial intelligence… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Interview on 3AW Mornings with Tom Elliott on Social Media scams
21 January 2025

Tom Elliott (Host): I wanted to talk about scams in a moment. We know there’s many different scams from getting emails – I saw one in my spam today, saying I have a photo of you doing something you shouldn’t have been doing, if you don’t give me $2000 I’ll release the pictures online. I… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Interview with 6PR on the Government’s new Scam Awareness Campaign
13 January 2025

Jamie Burnett (Host): But today, the Federal Government has launched a new scam awareness campaign encouraging you to stop, to check, to protect. Sounds good? Been welcomed by the Australian Banking Association, as you’d expect. Its CEO is Anna Bligh, good morning Anna.  Anna Bligh (Guest): Good morning. Jamie, how are you?   Jamie Burnett: Yeah,… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
New awareness campaign crucial in ongoing fight against scammers
12 January 2025

The ABA welcomes the launch today of the Federal Government’s new scam awareness campaign, encouraging Australians to STOP. CHECK. PROTECT. ABA CEO Anna Bligh said this was a timely reminder for Australians to be on the look-out for the tell-tale signs that you might be being scammed. “Scams are a blight on our society. Every… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
SMS Sender ID Register welcome in ongoing war against scammers
3 December 2024

The ABA welcomes further progress by the Federal Government to establish a mandatory SMS Sender ID register with an enforceable industry standard, in what will be a critical preventative measure in the fight against scammers. ABA CEO Anna Bligh said thwarting SMS impersonation scams would disrupt a key tactic that scammers use to steal money… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Interview with 4BC on how banks are combatting scams
28 November 2024

Gary Hardgrave (Host): To the story, Christine Rose and her husband, David, they fell victim to a vicious, really vicious scam. It’s robbed them of $40,000 the money was the house deposit for their first property purchased together. It’s all gone because a cyber-criminal impersonated their solicitor.   Christine Rose (clip from previous interview): It’s affected… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
Don’t get more than you bargained for this Black Friday
27 November 2024

Shoppers on the hunt for a bargain during the Black Friday sales period are being warned to be on high alert for scams. The Australian Banking Association is reminding shoppers to be on the lookout for popular scams that are circulating: ABA CEO Anna Bligh said scam activity always surges during the Black Friday sales… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
New scams prevention framework key to winning war against scammers 
7 November 2024

The ABA welcomes the introduction into the Parliament of critical scam fighting legislation to better protect Australians.   ABA CEO Anna Bligh said the Federal Government’s proposed Scams Prevention Framework is the best way forward to prevent, detect, report, disrupt and respond to scams.   “This is an important step forward in our ongoing work to scam-proof… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Doorstop in Sydney on new mandatory industry scams codes  
13 September 2024

Anna Bligh: This new framework is a comprehensive approach to the terrible scourge of scams. This will mean that every single part of the scam chain where scammers try to take the hard earned money of Australians will now have to play a role in preventing scams, detecting them and keeping Australians safe.  Journalist: I… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
Mandatory industry scams codes important part of winning war against scammers
13 September 2024

Banks welcome the release of draft legislation to establish a new Scam Prevention Framework to better protect consumers and drive scammers out of Australia. ABA CEO Anna Bligh said winning the war against scammers will only be possible through a collective effort across the entire scams chain, including from government, banks, telcos and social media… Read more »

Read more
Op-Ed
Why Australia’s whole-of-scam-chain approach is key to winning the war against scammers
3 September 2024

One of the most alarming consequences of the recent CrowdStrike technical outage was how quickly scammers moved to take advantage of it. Within 24 hours, the Australian Cyber Security Centre had issued a warning to Australians about the potential risk of scams. Scammers pounced, impersonating CrowdStrike and Microsoft employees to trick people into providing remote access to… Read more »

Read more
Transcript
Interview on ABC Radio Sydney on scams
30 August 2024

Sarah Macdonald (Host): Have you had a call from your bank to check you’re okay? Did you see the Commonwealth Bank in Canberra yesterday appearing and executives saying it is taking down 50 fake Commonwealth Bank websites a week, 50 a week. As you know, Australians are losing a lot of money to scams, $3… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
Banks remind customers to remain vigilant to threat of scammers this Scams Awareness Week
26 August 2024

The ABA is reminding customers to remain vigilant to the tell-tale signs of scammers as Australian banks continue to ramp-up protections to help keep their money safe. ABA CEO Anna Bligh said this year’s theme ‘share a story, stop a scam’ was an opportunity for all Australians to support each other and fight back against… Read more »

Read more
Media Releases
SMS Sender ID Register a new weapon to help defeat scammers
23 August 2024

The ABA welcomes the passage of the SMS Sender ID Register legislation as one more weapon in Australia’s arsenal to win the war on scams. ABA CEO Anna Bligh said this new registry will help to disrupt the business models for SMS impersonation scammers and make Australia a harder target for scam activity. “Scammers usually… Read more »

Read more

Filter Content

Clear all