In this issue of Member Matters:
Our latest member newsletter is here, and includes:
- A message from BankVic Board Chair Lucinda Nolan
- ACWAP Excellence in Policing Awards
- Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance
- VAU Delegates Conference
- Payment Security Enhancement
- Notice of Annual General Meeting
The BankVic team is proud of our long-term support and commitment to the police, emergency and health workers, in both financial goals as well as other ways we provide support and opportunities.
The nature of the work our members do means the risks of harm are higher, and sometimes our members won’t get to return home at the end of the day or night.
The tragic deaths of two police officers in Porepunkah impacted us all. These difficult circumstances highlight why we support so many programs, fundraisers, and initiatives that help members and families in the aftermath of such events.
We recently supported the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance as support crew for theVictorian riders. We joined police and first responders from around the country to honour those who have died in the line of duty this past year, and raise funds for police legacy organisations to support their families.
We have continued to support a number of scholarships and professional development opportunities for members in health, emergency services, and policing, to help with career development and opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach.
It is all of this which makes the whole BankVic team so proud of what we get to do – serve those who serve and protect the community.
My time as a Director on the BankVic Board ends after the upcoming Annual General Meeting. I will leave very proud of the ongoing role our bank plays in helping members with appropriate and tailored support, as well as being there when they need us most.
Thank you for your BankVic membership and for your support of our community. I wish you the very best for your future – and am confident you are in the best hands
Lucinda Nolan
BOARD CHAIR
ACWAP Excellence in Policing Awards
On 15 August we presented the ACWAP BankVic scholarships as part of the Excellence in Policing awards at Victoria Police Centre.
These scholarships provide opportunities for growth in leadership, learning from others’ experience, and exposure to a wide range of development opportunities.
We are so proud to be involved with this award, because we are committed to supporting the careers and development of the police community, and we believe in inclusivity, where everyone has access to as many opportunities as possible.
Congratulations to the winners, Constable Bella Cooke and Sergeant Anna Dickinson, for their impressive achievements, and we look forward to watching their careers continue to unfold.
$5 million of members' money saved from scams and fraud
Last year alone, Australians lost a staggering $2 billion dollars to scammers, and made almost 500,000 reports to financial crime organisations. Data from the National Scams Centre shows the highest losses were from investment, and social media scams.
The majority of scams reported by BankVic members to our fraud team are related to ‘Goods not received’, where someone buys an item online, but doesn’t receive what they’ve paid for. These account for 60% of all scams so far, in 2025.
Through a number of programs and initiatives, our fraud team was able to save over $5 million of members’ money from fraud and scams in the 2024/2025 financial year alone.
This was achieved through a combination of:
- Increasing our transaction monitoring for suspicious activity
- Strengthening ID verification protocols, and making this easier to do online
- Producing scam awareness resources through our partnership with Crime Stoppers, and
- Joining the Fraud Reporting Exchange (FRX).
The FRX is an information-sharing platform between banks, enabling us to report fraud and scam activity more quickly, which increases the potential to recover stolen funds for our members.
Another payment security enhancement is Confirmation of Payee. More information about this enhancement is further down.
While we continue to invest in fraud prevention technology and support, scammers are also adjusting the way they try and get your money. It’s important to stay up to date with the types of scams you may come across, and reduce the potential to be scammed.
Tips, resources, and case studies
Keep your scam knowledge up to date through visiting:
Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance
The 16th annual Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance was held on Saturday 13 September, and BankVic once again accompanied the Victorian contingent for their ride, through acting as the support crew – something we are honoured to do each year.
Raising funds for Police Legacy organisations around Australia, Wall to Wall is an integral part of Police Week. Riders gather in each state and make the journey to Canberra for a national memorial service, where around 2,000 riders come together to honour the memory of fallen police officers.
Riders carry the Chief Commissioners’ baton, engraved with the names of officers who have died in the line of duty in the previous year.
This year’s baton carried the names of Victoria Police officers killed in Porepunkah, and the Tasmania Police officer killed in June. The baton was passed to a young Victoria Police Legatee, and made the 850km ride from Melbourne to Canberra.
The day before, hundreds of current and former Victoria Police members gathered for a service at the Victoria Police Memorial on St Kilda Rd. Following the service, riders began their journey and travelled through Sale, Lakes Entrance, Cann River, and rested for the night in Merimbula.
The following morning, BankVic sponsored a BBQ breakfast before joining riders in heading to Canberra. Riders from all states formed up and rode to the National Police Memorial for the very moving remembrance service.
These events are important to the BankVic community and team. We thank the Victorian Wall to Wall Committee for the work they do, and the opportunity to support this important event.
VAU Delegates Conference
We were proud to support the 4th Annual Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated Delegates Conference in early September.
This year’s conference was even more significant following the recent events in Porepunkah and Geelong, where VAU members and first responders were at the forefront of supporting the community.
BankVic team members Rebecca Attard and Karen Vice were there to support our members during the conference. Our appreciation to Danny Hill, Olga Bartasek, Adam Read and the VAU team. We value and appreciate our collaborative partnership.
On behalf of the BankVic team, we thank VAU members for the work you do, every single day.
Payment Security Enhancement
We have recently implemented a new feature of conducting transactions online that will offer an additional
layer of protection against paying to an unintended or incorrect recipient.
Confirmation of Payee is a security feature designed to add an extra layer of protection against fraud, scams, and accidental payments. It is an initiative of Australian Payments Plus, the same organisation that also provides trusted payment services like BPAY®, Osko®, EFTPOS®, PayID® and PayTo®.
This security enhancement will be a standard part of the online payment process, whether you do these via the BankVic app or internet banking.
How it works
Before a payment is made, the service verifies whether the account details you’ve entered, such as the account name, BSB, and account number match the information held by the recipient’s bank.
The outcome of this match will be displayed, helping you confirm that you’re paying the correct person or business before proceeding with the transaction.
To find out more visit bankvic.com.au/banking/payments/confirmation-of-payee/
Notice of Annual General Meeting
BankVic’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2025 will be held at 3.00 pm AEDT on Wednesday 5 November, and is being held virtually so members will be able to join the meeting online.
The full Notice of AGM and and supporting information is available to all members at:
bankvic.com.au/our-story/news/bankvic-agm-2025
Little Copper Club Education Award winner
Congratulations to Lachlan Sanders, winner of the Little Copper Club Education Award, which was drawn on Monday 14 July.
