ANZ Warns of 'Scam-Coaching' as Fraudsters Feed Victims Real-Time Scripts During Branch Visits
ANZ Warns of ‘Scam-Coaching’ as Fraudsters Feed Victims Real-Time Scripts During Branch Visits #
ANZ has issued a public warning about a fraud technique it calls “scam-coaching,” in which criminals prepare victims with scripts, cover stories, and rehearsed answers before and during their interactions with bank staff, making it harder for employees to intervene before money is lost.
Rather than simply impersonating a bank or investment firm, perpetrators build trust with victims and then coach them to deceive the staff trying to protect them. ANZ says some customers have arrived at branches with headphones in their ears or a phone concealed in a pocket, receiving real-time verbal instructions from a scammer while speaking with staff face to face.
Ben Verhoef, who leads ANZ’s scams team, said the coaching is designed to neutralise the bank’s security questions. Scammers reportedly use dismissive lines, such as suggesting that the bank is simply trying to stop a customer from making money, to undermine trust and keep victims on script. Verhoef urged customers to answer honestly when asked about unusual transactions, describing such questions as a protective measure rather than an intrusion.
ANZ Service Consultant Vicki, a 15-year veteran of the bank, said the shift from straightforward scams to coached deception has been dramatic. She described customers arriving convinced they are acting in their own financial interest, told by scammers that their account is under threat and that funds must be moved immediately to stay safe. Even when ANZ’s fraud detection systems flag a transaction as suspicious, the rehearsed narratives can be strong enough to keep victims committed to the transfer.
Australia recorded $2.18 billion in scam-related losses in 2025, according to national data, an increase of 7.8 per cent on the prior year, though still well below the $3.1 billion peak seen in 2022. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority separately recorded a 12 per cent rise in scam complaints over the past financial year, though volumes remain 38 per cent below their earlier peak.
ANZ said its branch staff receive specific training to detect scam-coaching behaviour and guide customers through verification steps, but the bank acknowledged that cases involving heavily rehearsed victims remain particularly challenging to resolve before harm occurs.
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