More than 10,000 abusive transactions from 6,800 unique customers were blocked in March 2022, stated National Australia Bank (NAB).
Payments in the NAB app on iOS and Android that feature offensive words and phrases will not be processed under the changes. NAB, serving at over 900 locations throughout Australia, New Zealand and around the world, has been actively blocking abusive transactions on internet banking since November 2020.
Customers get a real-time message advising they’ll need to change the description for the transaction to proceed. The changes will apply to all commonly-used payment types.
NAB Group Executive Personal Banking Rachel Slade said the bank would continue to make sure digital transactions wouldn’t be a vehicle for abuse.
“We have approximately 1,300 words and phrases that are now blocked in the NAB app in addition to Internet Banking protection measures being enhanced recently,” Ms Slade said. “Our system is now smarter than ever. It can now instantly recognise special characters and spaces that have been substituted in banned words and phrases. This kind of abuse can impact all types of customers, from teenagers using transactions to bully others to intimate partners committing financial abuse. We’re committed to working with our customers and other organisations to reduce the prevalence of this behaviour.”
