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ANZ Regional Executive for the Pacific Sarah Stubbings warns of scammers exploiting people’s fears regarding finances and security.

She advises caution against unsolicited requests to download apps or software, provide banking details or grant remote access.

Stubbings emphasizes the importance of scepticism and suggests contacting organizations directly through advertised channels if in doubt.

Remote access scams where criminals impersonate legitimate entities to gain access to devices are highlighted as a prevalent threat.

ANZ urges customers to remain vigilant and verify requests for remote access, emphasizing that genuine institutions conduct identity and security checks and provide contact details independently from their official websites.

Suspicion is warranted if asked to purchase software or transfer funds due to a supposed issue as legitimate entities refrain from such requests

Customers are advised to refrain from logging into online banking at a scammer’s request and to report any unauthorized passcode messages immediately to their bank.