ANZ has warned its customers to be wary of online scammers who the bank says are becoming "increasingly sophisticated" and guard their personal information. 

In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, ANZ Samoa Country Head, Sucharu Tandon, said the bank is currently working around the clock with their global teams and their partners to address the threat.

“Scammers are criminals. ANZ teams globally work around the clock – in partnership with other banks, industries, and governments to tackle this issue," said Mr. Tandon. 

"But the best way to protect yourself is by knowing what to look for and thinking twice before you act. We always say that your digital personal information is just as valuable to a scammer as your money. To protect ourselves and our loved ones from cyber criminals, be careful about the information you share online.

“Anyone, anywhere can be a potential target for scammers. Be suspicious of anyone asking you for personal information or a payment. ANZ will never contact customers asking for their account details or their login details for ANZ Internet Banking or the ANZ Pacific App. If something doesn’t seem right or is unexpected, question it."

Mr. Tandon said ANZ customers can call the ANZ Contact Centre, visit their nearest branch or use BankMail through ANZ Internet Banking or ANZ Pacific App to securely send and receive messages from ANZ if they notice suspicious activity on their account, or if they feel they may have responded to a scammer.

The bank then gave some tips for its customers to use to help them protect their money: If something seems too good to be true, it usually is; pause and verify before acting; be suspicious of anyone asking you for personal information or payment; be wary of unexpected links – even if it appears to come from a legitimate source; never give unsolicited callers remote access to your computer or your banking details - even if they claim to be from ANZ; consider calling your bank back via their listed details; be wary of a professional-looking advertisement for jobs as a ‘money transfer agent’; and what you may unintentionally be doing is transferring stolen money on behalf of criminals.