NAB addresses shocking account freezing rumours after customer concerns arise
- Replies 0
If you’ve been scrolling through social media, you might have come across alarming rumours about a major bank freezing accounts over online comments.
The claims have spread quickly, leaving many people shocked and confused.
However, experts are urging people to check the facts before getting caught up in the panic. It turns out there’s more to the story than those viral posts suggest.
The confusion seems to have stemmed from a policy NAB introduced back in 2022, which was designed to protect customers from financial abuse, not to police your social media behaviour.
The policy update allowed NAB to freeze or close accounts if customers engaged in 'unacceptable conduct' through the bank’s own payment channels.
Now, you might be wondering, 'What does that actually mean?' Well, when you transfer money to someone, you can include a message in the payment description.
Unfortunately, some people were using this feature to send abusive or harmful messages—think of it as digital graffiti, but nastier.
NAB’s policy was aimed at stopping this kind of behaviour, not at monitoring what you say on Facebook or in the comments section of your favourite news site.
Despite the good intentions behind the policy, misinformation quickly spread. Some people began to believe that NAB was monitoring all their online activity and could freeze their accounts for any 'mean' comment made anywhere on the internet.
One social media user wrote, 'If the NAB are going to scrutinise your social media accounts, it means they have too much time on their hands.
I would close my account if they did that.' Another added, 'So NAB is now in charge of Facebook? If my bank does anything like that, I’d just close my account.'
To be clear: NAB does not have the power, or the interest, to police your social media posts.
The policy only applies to messages sent through NAB’s own banking channels, such as internet banking and the mobile app.
So, unless you’re sending abusive messages through your bank transfers, your account is safe.
Financial abuse is a serious issue in Australia, particularly for vulnerable people such as seniors, those experiencing domestic violence, or anyone at risk of being targeted by someone with access to their finances.
NAB’s head of customer vulnerability, Michael Chambers, explained at the time: 'We’re blocking around 15,000 abusive messages each month sent through payment channels and today’s move further puts financial abusers on notice that we will do everything we can to protect innocent people.'
NAB isn’t alone in this—other major banks have introduced similar policies to help stamp out financial abuse.
This is a part of a broader industry effort to make banking safer and more supportive for everyone.
Despite the facts, the conspiracy theory has proven stubbornly persistent. It first surfaced in 2023 and has recently made a comeback, with posts being liked and shared hundreds of times.
An article online promoted the idea that NAB was monitoring customers’ social media activity and freezing accounts for bad behaviour.
When approached for comment, NAB declined to elaborate, likely because the facts speak for themselves: the policy is about protecting people from abuse, not policing free speech on the internet.
If you’re a NAB customer, or a customer of any central Australian bank—rest assured that your account won’t be frozen just because you had a heated exchange on Facebook or left a snarky comment on a news article.
Your account could only be affected if you use the bank’s payment channels to send abusive or harmful messages.
If you’re ever unsure about a policy or see something online that doesn’t sound right, it’s always best to check directly with your bank or a trusted news source.
Misinformation can spread quickly, but a little fact-checking goes a long way.
While this rumour turned out to be false, it does highlight a very real issue: financial abuse.
This can take many forms, from controlling someone’s access to money to using payment descriptions to send threats or insults.
If you or someone you know is experiencing financial abuse, there are resources and support services available.
NAB and other banks have dedicated teams to help customers in vulnerable situations, and you can always reach out for assistance.
And remember, if you ever have questions about your bank’s policies, don’t hesitate to contact them directly. It’s always better to get the facts straight from the source.
Have you ever come across a banking rumour that turned out to be false? Or have you experienced financial abuse and found support through your bank? We’d love to hear your stories and thoughts in the comments below.
Read more: Bank worker saves grandmother from losing $50,000 worth of savings! What happened?
The claims have spread quickly, leaving many people shocked and confused.
However, experts are urging people to check the facts before getting caught up in the panic. It turns out there’s more to the story than those viral posts suggest.
The confusion seems to have stemmed from a policy NAB introduced back in 2022, which was designed to protect customers from financial abuse, not to police your social media behaviour.
The policy update allowed NAB to freeze or close accounts if customers engaged in 'unacceptable conduct' through the bank’s own payment channels.
False rumours claim NAB freezes accounts over 'mean' online comments, sparking outrage among Aussies. Credit: Facebook
Now, you might be wondering, 'What does that actually mean?' Well, when you transfer money to someone, you can include a message in the payment description.
Unfortunately, some people were using this feature to send abusive or harmful messages—think of it as digital graffiti, but nastier.
NAB’s policy was aimed at stopping this kind of behaviour, not at monitoring what you say on Facebook or in the comments section of your favourite news site.
Despite the good intentions behind the policy, misinformation quickly spread. Some people began to believe that NAB was monitoring all their online activity and could freeze their accounts for any 'mean' comment made anywhere on the internet.
One social media user wrote, 'If the NAB are going to scrutinise your social media accounts, it means they have too much time on their hands.
I would close my account if they did that.' Another added, 'So NAB is now in charge of Facebook? If my bank does anything like that, I’d just close my account.'
To be clear: NAB does not have the power, or the interest, to police your social media posts.
The policy only applies to messages sent through NAB’s own banking channels, such as internet banking and the mobile app.
So, unless you’re sending abusive messages through your bank transfers, your account is safe.
Financial abuse is a serious issue in Australia, particularly for vulnerable people such as seniors, those experiencing domestic violence, or anyone at risk of being targeted by someone with access to their finances.
NAB’s head of customer vulnerability, Michael Chambers, explained at the time: 'We’re blocking around 15,000 abusive messages each month sent through payment channels and today’s move further puts financial abusers on notice that we will do everything we can to protect innocent people.'
NAB isn’t alone in this—other major banks have introduced similar policies to help stamp out financial abuse.
This is a part of a broader industry effort to make banking safer and more supportive for everyone.
Despite the facts, the conspiracy theory has proven stubbornly persistent. It first surfaced in 2023 and has recently made a comeback, with posts being liked and shared hundreds of times.
An article online promoted the idea that NAB was monitoring customers’ social media activity and freezing accounts for bad behaviour.
When approached for comment, NAB declined to elaborate, likely because the facts speak for themselves: the policy is about protecting people from abuse, not policing free speech on the internet.
If you’re a NAB customer, or a customer of any central Australian bank—rest assured that your account won’t be frozen just because you had a heated exchange on Facebook or left a snarky comment on a news article.
Your account could only be affected if you use the bank’s payment channels to send abusive or harmful messages.
If you’re ever unsure about a policy or see something online that doesn’t sound right, it’s always best to check directly with your bank or a trusted news source.
Misinformation can spread quickly, but a little fact-checking goes a long way.
While this rumour turned out to be false, it does highlight a very real issue: financial abuse.
This can take many forms, from controlling someone’s access to money to using payment descriptions to send threats or insults.
If you or someone you know is experiencing financial abuse, there are resources and support services available.
NAB and other banks have dedicated teams to help customers in vulnerable situations, and you can always reach out for assistance.
And remember, if you ever have questions about your bank’s policies, don’t hesitate to contact them directly. It’s always better to get the facts straight from the source.
Read more: Bank worker saves grandmother from losing $50,000 worth of savings! What happened?
