After over 300,000 homes on the east coast of Australia were left without power due to the impact of the tropical cyclone Alfred, ANZ Bank has urged Australians to stay alert for scammers impersonating banks, insurance companies, or disaster relief services.
Before Cyclone Alfred hit, ANZ announced the activation of a relief package for customers impacted by Cyclone Alfred across Queensland and New South Wales. National Australia Bank (NAB) also offered $1,000 relief grants for customers directly impacted by destructive weather.
The cyclone, which brought heavy winds and flash flooding, left hundreds of thousands of Australians without electricity, while also uprooting trees and causing serious damage to property.
Following its impact, ANZ rolled out its relief package to impacted communities, providing short-term payment relief on various loan types and credit cards; waiving fees for restructuring business loans and for accessing term deposits early; and offering emergency funds and temporary accommodation to some eligible customers with ANZ Home and Contents Insurance.
The bank also pre-deployed mobile ATMs to Brisbane and northern New South Wales, with plans to move them to the communities hit the hardest.
The NAB Foundation also pledged a $200,000 donation to The Salvation Army to help provide meals and psychological first aid at evacuation centres for first responders and for people taking shelter before the cyclone arrives.
Cameron Home, general manager of the Australian branch network at ANZ, said: “While Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred has continued to reduce in severity, we know its effects will continue to be felt for some time, including with ongoing severe weather and flooding.
“ANZ activated a relief package for customers who may be impacted by the effects of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. We urge customers facing challenges to contact us early, so we can work with them to help support their circumstances. ANZ customers with ANZ Home and Contents Insurance who have been impacted may also be eligible for emergency support.”
Staying aware of scammers
Following the destruction caused by the cyclone and subsequent storms, Australian insurers received over 9,000 claims, according to the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA). It said that the “vast majority of claims” came from Queensland and expects “many more thousands of claims” to come in the coming weeks.
On 9 March, the ICA declared an Insurance Catastrophe for the areas impacted by the cyclone, in a move to escalate and prioritise the insurance industry’s response for affected policyholders.
While ANZ, NAB and other organisations look to provide support to those affected, Shaq Johnson, head of customer protection at ANZ, is warning people to stay aware of scammers looking to profit from those looking for support.
“Scammers can disguise themselves as recovery support, manipulating those affected by the crisis into sharing sensitive information or making fraudulent payments under false pretenses,” Johnson explained.
“Staying vigilant and taking simple precautions can help safeguard your recovery journey and prevent further setbacks during an already challenging time. Since scammers thrive on urgency and uncertainty, a thoughtful pause can be your strongest defense against fraudulent activity.
“Those wishing to help should exercise the same caution when making contributions, ensuring their donations go to verified relief efforts that will genuinely assist those affected.”
