Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
  
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
  
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
  
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.
  

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Dennis]

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

View attachment 27419

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

View attachment 27420

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Every time you read a report pf people becoming victims of a scam and report their banks are very slow in replying I think the Government should impose a daily fine, asking for banks to employ more staff is a no no , they are more eager to make staff redundant, how about the government taking over the 4 main Banks look at what all those profits would do for the country.

 

[Shane/#]

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

View attachment 27419

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

View attachment 27420

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Instead of worrying about making profits how about looking after the people that make their profits I think the Labor Federal government should implement more recommendations from the royal commission that the previous Liberal government didn't care about and pull them into line and make ALL bank's accountable to their customers

 

[Topher]

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

View attachment 27419

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

View attachment 27420

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Topher]

What is so hard for banks to have a "000" type number?
- And why do banks not apply a personal draw-limit on customers' accounts - one that can be changed by merely phoning the client and confirming/identifying the suspect withdrawal/transfer!

Ah - I know: it might bite into their multi-billion dollar profits? Are the banks really there for their customers?

 

[freedy50]

Like the ABC reporter, I went into my local bank branch a couple of years ago to discuss something and she had to phone their customer service people on the same number I would have had to.
We both had to sit there listening to their holding music for ages until they answered.

That was probably the last time I actually went into a bank? I just phone them myself now.

 

[Glenys R]

The banks are making enough money to take more care of security issues. The powers that be should see to it that banks step up and make more effort in this department!

 

[Observer]

This is why I only want a mobile phone that can make and receive calls, take some photos and send a message occasionally to some friends.
I do not need nor do I want apps on my phone. Too exposed.
But companies and businesses want you to have apps for simplicity for them, not necessarily for you.

 

[rob53]

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

View attachment 27419

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

View attachment 27420

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

I has my ID stolen, which was used to create CBA account, 20,000 from ato put through it and closed. After days of calls and hours of waiting to talk to someone was told don't worry, nothing we can do as the account is closed! I locked my files with credit reporting agencies, but TMR (Qld) won't give me new licence, even with police reports. I'm scared.

 

[Barbara V]

I would have thought by now the majority of people would be more aware of these scams. It still goes to say the old saying if it sounds too good to be true BEWARE

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

View attachment 27419

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

View attachment 27420

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[davidsq]

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

View attachment 27419

Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

View attachment 27420

Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

a real life story as to failure of banks, lack of staff & not caring for older citizens. My friend lives in north tassie & due to being a victim of the recent NDIA legal outsourced company HWL Epworth was affected by the Russian Hack (media seem quiet in comparison to Medicare & Optus hacks). He was advised to contact his bank. On phoning & w-a-i-t-i-n-g he was eventually greeated by a call centre operator. He explained the situation & was prompted to give fall name, address, DOB & account number. He asked to speak to a manager & was informed he needed to present in person & have an appointment. He explained that Bank rationalisation had closed the smaller bank outlets & he would need to get a carer to drive him from North tassie to Hobart (3-4 hrs), stay overnight (fatigue) & return the following day & he would not be able to find a carer willing to undertake this. The call centre operator stated that thats the current protocol to be followed. Yet we see profit increasing, massive bonuses to senior staff & minimalisation of customer service. With scams on the risk, aging population, increased disability, the decreasing access to banking infrastructure, & trying to cope with scams outside of ones control this is becoming a nightmare. Is this poor customber service a planned ploy to coerce us to accept a globabist digital central banking currently objective as we see similar patterns arising in UK, USA, & Aust - !!!!!!! Chance or design ?

 

[Leenie]

a real life story as to failure of banks, lack of staff & not caring for older citizens. My friend lives in north tassie & due to being a victim of the recent NDIA legal outsourced company HWL Epworth was affected by the Russian Hack (media seem quiet in comparison to Medicare & Optus hacks). He was advised to contact his bank. On phoning & w-a-i-t-i-n-g he was eventually greeated by a call centre operator. He explained the situation & was prompted to give fall name, address, DOB & account number. He asked to speak to a manager & was informed he needed to present in person & have an appointment. He explained that Bank rationalisation had closed the smaller bank outlets & he would need to get a carer to drive him from North tassie to Hobart (3-4 hrs), stay overnight (fatigue) & return the following day & he would not be able to find a carer willing to undertake this. The call centre operator stated that thats the current protocol to be followed. Yet we see profit increasing, massive bonuses to senior staff & minimalisation of customer service. With scams on the risk, aging population, increased disability, the decreasing access to banking infrastructure, & trying to cope with scams outside of ones control this is becoming a nightmare. Is this poor customber service a planned ploy to coerce us to accept a globabist digital central banking currently objective as we see similar patterns arising in UK, USA, & Aust - !!!!!!! Chance or design ?

 

[Leenie]

a real life story as to failure of banks, lack of staff & not caring for older citizens. My friend lives in north tassie & due to being a victim of the recent NDIA legal outsourced company HWL Epworth was affected by the Russian Hack (media seem quiet in comparison to Medicare & Optus hacks). He was advised to contact his bank. On phoning & w-a-i-t-i-n-g he was eventually greeated by a call centre operator. He explained the situation & was prompted to give fall name, address, DOB & account number. He asked to speak to a manager & was informed he needed to present in person & have an appointment. He explained that Bank rationalisation had closed the smaller bank outlets & he would need to get a carer to drive him from North tassie to Hobart (3-4 hrs), stay overnight (fatigue) & return the following day & he would not be able to find a carer willing to undertake this. The call centre operator stated that thats the current protocol to be followed. Yet we see profit increasing, massive bonuses to senior staff & minimalisation of customer service. With scams on the risk, aging population, increased disability, the decreasing access to banking infrastructure, & trying to cope with scams outside of ones control this is becoming a nightmare. Is this poor customber service a planned ploy to coerce us to accept a globabist digital central banking currently objective as we see similar patterns arising in UK, USA, & Aust - !!!!!!! Chance or design ?

Big brother is coming if not already here.

 

[gordon1940]

Instead of worrying about making profits how about looking after the people that make their profits I think the Labor Federal government should implement more recommendations from the royal commission that the previous Liberal government didn't care about and pull them into line and make ALL bank's accountable to their customers

All Bank Customers should take responsibility for their own actions. If Common Sence prevailed and care taken, there would be a huge reduction in Scams, losses and heartbreak.

 

[gidget45]

Scams seem everywhere these days, putting stress and strain on the public as they steal people's personal information and hard-earned cash.

But despite banks’ advice to be on the lookout for scams and fraud, unfortunately, there are still cases of people who unknowingly become victims of scams, losing a large chunk of their lifelong savings to thieves.

John and Julie, an elderly couple, were one of them. They lost almost their entire retirement savings–the staggering $400,000–after their identities were stolen and fraudulent accounts opened in their names were siphoned.

To try and recover their losses, the couple made calls to the emergency fraud line of their banking services but were met with frustratingly long waiting times and unreturned calls.

This is all while the thieves had access to their phone, which had its number ported without their knowledge, allowing them to receive two-factor authentication codes–that they’d prudently enabled–and use them to transfer more and more money out of their accounts.

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Scammers stole John and Julie’s identity to access their financial accounts. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

The couple felt like they were trying to protect their savings and just wanted an answer. But even after they’d done everything to the best of their ability, it still felt like no one was coming to help them.

This is something that Virginia Trioli of ABC Radio Melbourne had noticed, having experienced it in person when she was getting help from a local bank.

She and the bank assistant sat in silence for almost a half hour while they waited for someone to pick up the phone, and when Trioli asked if they had a direct number to call, she wasn’t met with the answer she had expected.

‘Are we calling … the same helpline number that I would call if … if I was at home?’ Trioli asked.

The clerk nodded.

She had to confirm: ‘They don't give you a direct number you can call, something to get you straight into the banking services division? Even though you work for the same bank?’

The week that John and Julie’s story broke, the Commonwealth Bank reported an impressive record profit of $10.16 billion, along with the news that they were aiming for even higher numbers in the future.

But do banks need that much of an influx of cash to offer customers a service that helps them protect their money?

Trioli claims that the problem seems to be a need for more staff. While banks encourage their customers to watch out for scams,she points out they don’t do enough to ensure proper protection or system redundancies.

‘You shouldn't have to beg for someone to call you back when the most egregious financial crimes–fraud–is underway,’ Trioli expressed.

It’s a case of saying the right things but not doing enough action.

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Virginia Trioli believes that banks should hire more customer service staff. Credit: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

ABC Radio listeners had similar suggestions on how banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) could address this problem.

One listener suggested that it would be more than viable for the banks to spend a million dollars a week on hiring more staff to handle urgent calls from customers who’ve been scammed, and somehow they’d still be able to report a $10 billion profit.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Trioli chronicles her experience of a long, unproductive hold time with her bank's customer call centre, reflecting the same frustration experienced by many banking customers.
• She tells the story of identity theft victims John and Julie, who lost about $400,000 in retirement savings and could not get timely help from their bank's emergency fraud line.
• Trioli suggests that despite record profits, banks fail their customers by not investing enough in customer service and fraud prevention departments.
• Citing the example of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's recent record profits, an ABC Radio listener argues that banks could improve their customer service without significantly denting their profit margins.

Do you agree that banks should hire more customer service employees, dear members? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Yes

 

[Macarj]

What is so hard for banks to have a "000" type number?
- And why do banks not apply a personal draw-limit on customers' accounts - one that can be changed by merely phoning the client and confirming/identifying the suspect withdrawal/transfer!

Ah - I know: it might bite into their multi-billion dollar profits? Are the banks really there for their customers?

My bank does that and also ANZ shield stops any one from accessing my account when ever I make a transfer I have to type in a number from the ANZ shield