AMP Bank GO’s customer service team explain how "Your Bank Is Calling" protects customers from impersonation fraud

AMP Bank GO’s new “Your Bank Is Calling” feature empowers customers to instantly verify if a call is genuinely from the bank, providing a vital safeguard against scams and impersonation fraud (when a scammer pretends to be someone you trust – like your bank or another official organisation – in order to trick you into giving them your personal information or money). We get the lowdown from Matt, AMP Bank GO customer service officer and one of the team members behind the innovation, about how it works, why customer security matters and how AMP Bank GO is dedicated to protecting your money.

Can you explain what the “Your Bank Is Calling” feature is and what inspired its development for AMP Bank GO?

The ‘Your Bank Is Calling’ feature is essentially a way of allowing our customers to verify whether a call they have received is, in fact, from AMP Bank GO.  In today’s environment, where scams and scam awareness are so crucial, implementing a feature to fight impersonation fraud was a really important factor for us. We really love supporting our customers and making sure they're safe.

How does the feature work step-by-step for a customer who receives a call claiming to be from AMP Bank GO?

Here’s how it works:

• The customer receives a call claiming to be from AMP Bank GO.

• They open the AMP Bank GO app.

• A green banner will appear that says: “We are calling you now.”

If the banner isn't there, it means the person calling the customer might be a scammer. This is a really good way of preventing customers from being misled into thinking they are on a legitimate call.

How does the feature address the growing issue of phone scams targeting banking customers?

It really helps target phone scams, particularly impersonation fraud. If a customer receives a call from someone claiming to be AMP Bank GO and they check the app but aren’t prompted with the message that says “We are calling you,” then they’ll know right away that it isn’t AMP Bank GO. A large part of these scams involves bad actors claiming to be from a bank and then asking customers to transfer funds to what they claim is a “suspense account,” but in reality, they are just pocketing the money of hard-working customers. This feature helps prevent that.

What makes “Your Bank Is Calling” unique compared to other bank call verification methods in the industry?

Our feature was designed to work seamlessly. While other apps can be clunky, with AMP Bank GO, it detects in real time if you’re receiving a call from us. It’s all live and doesn’t require you to go to another app or follow extra steps. You just get a call, go into the app, and you can feel safer — it’s that simple.

What is your role on the team working on “Your Bank Is Calling,” and how did you get involved in this project?

I was originally brought onto the AMP Bank GO team for a customer service role. My day-to-day involves answering phones and doing live chats, so I deal directly with customers most of the day. Specifically for this project, I worked on testing, making sure the product was working in all avenues, and addressing any edge cases (situations where the feature might not work as intended) and put in new processes to avoid any potential errors. I also helped with the delivery of the project, reaching out to stakeholders to make sure all bases were covered and that we were happy with the feature before it went to market.

Can you walk us through a typical day for you working on this product? 

A typical day for me working on this product involved balancing calls and chats with customers, while also writing up and executing test cases to make sure everything was running smoothly. I made sure it worked on both Android and Apple devices, researched the feature, and gained an overall understanding of how it operates. I then relayed that information to all of our contact centre team, so they understood how the feature works and how to properly use and communicate it to customers.

Why is it so important to reduce the anxiety customers may feel after receiving calls from their bank?

We live in a time where technology is so advanced, especially with the rise of AI. A lot of people don’t necessarily have the best understanding of how well they are protected. This feature adds an extra layer of security and really helps reduce customer anxiety. When you receive a call — since Australia doesn’t have branded calling (technology that allows incoming calls to display the name or logo of the business calling you) — you just see a series of numbers and might wonder if it’s really your bank. There’s no way to confirm it for sure, so we added a method to verify that a seemingly random number is, in fact, AMP Bank GO. All it takes is one core feature to help provide that sense of security.

What advice do you have for customers to stay safe and make the most of “Your Bank Is Calling”?

To make the most of it, whenever you receive a call and don’t feel entirely comfortable, you can always go into the app and verify if it is truly us calling. Even if you didn’t check during the call, as long as you’ve passed identity verification, you can always go back into the app and see when your last verified call was. So, even if you don’t proactively check while on the call, you can still check afterwards.

If you get a call, check the app to confirm it’s really us. If the app doesn't say it's AMP Bank GO you're speaking to, hang up and call 1800 950 105.

For more tips on staying scam safe, check out our security hub here. And read about how AMP Bank GO's financial crime investigator combats scammers here.

If you believe your AMP account has been compromised, alert us immediately.  AMP Bank GO customers please call 1800 950 105 (+61 2 5135 1930 for overseas). You can also send us a message 24/7 via the AMP Bank GO app.