Westpac Announces A New Partnership with IDCARE

Westpac has announced a new partnership with IDCARE, Australia's National Identity and Cyber Support Service, to provide more assistance to regional and rural Australians who have been victims of scams.

According to Westpac's Chief Digital Officer, Jason Hair, the program will place a strong emphasis on increasing education and awareness to combat the rise in scams.

"Westpac has invested considerably in scam detection and prevention capabilities, but it's equally important to focus on building better awareness and arming Australians with the knowledge they need to become more resilient against scammers. We’re excited to build on our existing partnership with IDCARE and deliver a program that will extend vital support services to help combat the impact of scams, particularly in regional and rural communities," said Hair.

According to Westpac research, one-third of regional Australians have been scammed and will lose an average of $4,300. According to IDCARE, Australians in regional and remote communities will suffer losses that are nearly 40% greater than those in capital cities.

"Scammers often play on our vulnerabilities, and this can include targeting people who might be more isolated or who are less digitally connected, so people living in more remote or rural areas are often in scammers' sights. Not only is there often a financial loss when someone is scammed, but the emotional toll can be significant as well. This partnership will play an important role extending vital prevention and support services for those who really need it," added Catherine Fitzpatrick, Westpac's Director of Customer Vulnerability and Financial Resilience.