CommBank is offering regional Australians access to more than 400 “Staying Safe Online” education sessions over the next 12 months, doubling the number currently on offer. Hosted by CommBank’s branch teams across regional Australia, these free in-person seminars are designed to help communities better identify potential scams and empower people with the knowledge and tools to stay safe online.
CommBank also plans to partner with local community groups across regional Australia to expand the accessibility and awareness of the program to more members of the community. In addition to running the free sessions in hundreds of regional branches, the Bank plans to deliver them in clubs, community centres and other venues in regional towns, allowing more people, no matter who they bank with to attend.
The significant expansion of the “Staying Safe Online” seminars in regional Australia is another measure CommBank is taking to combat scams and fraud. During FY24, the Bank invested more than $800 million to protect customers against fraud, scams, financial and cyber crime, and over the course of the year customer losses to scams halved.
Mark Jones, Executive General Manager Customer Service Network said: “CBA has a strong commitment to regional Australia. As the bank with the largest branch network in the country, we can leverage our scale to help more regional Australians stay safe online, and by partnering with other regional service providers we can multiply this impact.
“We are doubling the number of free Staying Safe Online seminars in the regions to more than one a day, and we will deliver them not just in our branches but in a wider range of venues, so we can help more Australians safely navigate today’s increasingly digitised world,” Mr Jones said.
CBA’s one-hour “Staying Safe Online” seminars cover a range of topics and practical tips, including how to recognise and avoid common online scams, protecting personal information, and understanding the latest tactics used by cyber criminals. They form part of CBA’s wider financial wellbeing seminar program, which cover 10 other topics, such as Cyber Security for Small Business and Financial Wellbeing for Women. Over the past five years, more than 3,350 seminars have been delivered across Australia.
