Dear Customer,

 

We live in a constantly changing world and right now we’re seeing ongoing global uncertainty, a complex domestic setting as well as cost of living challenges.

 

We’re here for you

We know some of you are feeling pressure. We want to help you through the current economic environment.

 

If you are feeling stretched or worried at all, please reach out to us. It’s never too early to ask for help and there’s a range of things we can do to support you. You can find more information at westpac.com.au/assist.

 

You can also access helpful money management tools through our app, including spending insights and a subscription manager that lets you view and cancel subscriptions directly through the Westpac app.

 

We’re backing regional Australia

Our support extends to customers right across the country, including in regional Australia where we are continuing to invest.

 

In the past year we’ve opened new Service Centres in regional New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania because we know these communities are vital to the strength of the country.  We’ve also launched a new Community Banker pilot program, where our bankers regularly visit towns to provide face to face support. Currently our bankers are visiting Bulahdelah, Dungog, Manilla and Walcha in New South Wales and soon they’ll start visiting customers in six towns in regional Queensland – Clifton, Pittsworth, Malanda, Ravenshoe, Clermont and Laidley.

 

We are focused on improving how we serve you and making sure we’re backing our customers. I know we have more to do and we’re significantly investing in better products, services and how we show up for our customers and communities across Australia.

 

We’re tackling scams to help keep you safe

Finally, the scourge of scams is impacting many Australians. These scammers are criminals and this is why we continue to invest in protection measures to keep you safe, with our technology analysing over 30 million transactions each day to detect suspicious activity.

 

These efforts are making a difference and we’ve stopped customers from losing $181 million to scams over the past six months and more than $775 million over the past few years. As these criminals increasingly use social media and digital platforms to reach you, please stay vigilant and be sceptical of what you see online.

 

At the moment we’re seeing a number of personalised, AI driven scams. This includes:

• Impersonation scams: where scammers are posing as trusted brands like banks, or even someone you know to trick you into making a payment or sharing personal details.
• Fake investment offers: economic uncertainty is creating an opportunity for scammers and we’re seeing more scams involving fake term deposits, bonds and commodities like gold and silver. These are often promoted through convincing ads, using fake images or videos of well-known people to appear legitimate.
• Job scams: where fake roles are advertised, with scammers often asking for upfront payments or personal information as part of the application process.

 

Westpac will never ask you to share your online banking codes or move money into a ‘safe’ account and if someone is asking you to do this, it’s a red flag and most likely criminals trying to steal your money.

 

Please always take a moment to stop, check and verify through a trusted channel as it can make all the difference. You can find out more about the latest scams and how to stay safe at westpac.com.au/security.

 

As the country’s first bank and oldest company, we’ve been here for more than 209 years. It’s a privilege to support you and play an important role in the lives of our customers.

 

Thank you for banking with Westpac.

 

Regards,

Anthony Miller