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How we can help

We can provide immediate assistance over the phone, in addition to online support resources.

Additional Resources

View our Customer Care Kit or Financial Wellbeing Page, to see all the ways that we can support you through difficult times.

Counselling

Our customers can access complimentary, professional and confidential counselling sessions. Call 1300 574 759 to book an appointment.

What is domestic and family violence?

Family violence refers to any behaviour that controls or dominates a family member in any way, or causes them to fear for their own, or another person's, safety or wellbeing. The family relationship can be between people of the same or opposite sex, a parent and a child, or siblings and other relatives. This coercive control or domination can be seen in behaviours including:

  • Financial - Making someone ask for money or giving them an allowance. Taking their money or forcing them to take out loans they don’t want or don’t know about. Not letting them know about or have access to family income.
  • Emotional - Making someone feel bad about themselves. Calling them names. Making them think they’re ‘crazy’ and that the abuse is ‘normal’. Humiliating them. Making them feel guilty.
  • Psychological - Behaviour by a person towards another person that torments, intimidates, harasses or is offensive to the other person.
  • Physical - A physical assault occurs when a person uses physical violence and causes injury to another person’s body.
  • Sexual - Any kind of sexual activity that someone is forced, coerced or tricked into doing when they didn’t want to.
  • Spiritual - When someone uses spiritual or religious beliefs to hurt, scare or control someone. It can involve someone or their children being forced to participate in spiritual or religious practices or refusing to allow them to participate in their own spiritual or religious practices.
  • Verbal – Verbal abuse can include yelling, swearing, demanding or ordering, threatening language, blackmail, constantly blaming a partner and manipulation.

What is financial abuse?

Financial abuse is where an abuser uses money or finances to control the other person. The most common forms of financial abuse include:

  • Someone being forced to take on debt they don’t want.
  • Withholding or threatening to withhold a reasonable amount of money (for example, what’s needed to run the household).
  • Stopping access to money so the other person can’t leave the relationship.
  • Transferring a property or other assets out of the person’s name.
  • Trying to ruin a person’s credit rating by not paying debts.

Financial abuse is a crime in most states of Australia. The Australian Government’s MoneySmart, opens in new window website has a range of information about financial abuse and how to get support. 

NAB has zero tolerance of financial abuse

  • We aim to protect you from financial abuse carried out on your personal accounts or through our electronic banking channels.
  • If we identify (or are made aware of) unacceptable account conduct, we’ll investigate and act.
  • We’ll reasonably exercise our rights under the account agreement if we believe we need to protect you or another person from financial abuse.
  • We may suspend, cancel or deny an account holder access to a product or its features.

If you’re concerned about your banking safety, call our NAB Customer Support Hub on 1300 308 175 or visit nab.com.au/bankingsafety.

How to keep your finances safe 

If you’re experiencing financial abuse there are ways to keep your finances safe. Before taking any of these steps consider your personal safety and have a safety plan, opens in new window ready.

If you contact NAB, we’ll treat any information that you give us about your situation confidentially. However, any information about a joint loan (such as balances and payments that you make) will be available to the co-borrower. Domestic and family violence is a very complex and personal issue, and it takes a lot for someone to disclose their situation. We want to support you through this difficult experience.

If you have particular concerns about your privacy let us know and we can put extra security on your accounts.

It's important to remember that if you and your partner (or ex-partner) have joint loans or accounts with us, then you're both our customers. We will assist in supporting and resolving matters with you as individuals where possible, even when it relates to joint matters.

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Protecting your finances while you’re in the relationship

There are many financial things to consider when you're in a relationship where family violence exists. It’s best to talk to a specialist family violence worker about your options and what steps you should take.
 
For many people, setting up their own transaction account is an important step in their safety planning. You can use this account to save emergency money and, when it’s safe to do so, direct your salary and government payments to this account. Banks are obligated to send you statements and letters regarding your accounts in the mail, so consider choosing to receive your statements and letters online, or ask a trusted friend if you can nominate their address as your mailing address.

Protecting your finances when you leave the relationship 

It can be hard to know where to start when leaving a violent relationship. Here are some tips for taking control of your financial situation:

  • Change your PIN, phone banking and internet banking passwords.

  • Set up SMS security on your accounts through internet banking or by calling us on [CF].

  • If you’ve changed addresses, notify us of your new address. We’ll keep this information confidential. If you’re staying somewhere short-term or have a temporary address, consider changing your mailing address to a trusted family member or friend, or requesting online statements.

  • If you haven't already, set up a transaction account in your own name. When it’s safe to do so, you can use this account to save money and direct your salary and government payments to this account. 

Get assistance if you’re receiving abusive banking transactions

Banking transactions are increasingly being used to commit forms of abuse, including domestic and family violence. An abusive banking transaction is when someone transfers money, often a very small amount, and uses the transaction description or reference field to harass, threaten, abuse or send unwanted messages. NAB has a team available to support our customers who may have received abusive banking transactions. If you’ve received abusive banking transactions and need support, please contact us on 1300 308 175 or nab.customer.support@nab.com.au.

If you have joint accounts or debts 

Joint accounts and debts that have been set up during a relationship need special attention when you have escaped a violent relationship, especially debts that are in both of your names. It’s important to know that:

  • Funds held in joint bank accounts are owned by both people on the account.

  • Debts in joint names are owed by both borrowers. When debts are in joint names, both account holders are responsible for repaying the full amount of the loan (known as joint and severable liability).

We will work with both customers in joint accounts and debts, but we can’t mediate a property settlement on your behalf. We recommend you seek legal advice for this. You can contact various legal services for free information about the law and how they can assist you.

If you have a joint loan with us, you can ask for hardship assistance without the permission of the other borrower. We’ll consider a request for assistance from either of you. We will keep the reasons for your request confidential, however we do need to notify other borrowers and guarantors of the outcome of your financial hardship request. You can speak to us about how we’ll keep your personal information safe and protect your privacy.

If you’re having difficulties making your payments, call NAB Assist on 1800 701 599. We have a range of options that may help if you’re experiencing financial hardship.

This is general information, so we recommend you seek legal advice for specialist advice about a property settlement and your rights in joint accounts and debts. You’ll also need to seek specialist advice about your superannuation and life insurance policies.

  • What you need to know:

    • An important first step when you plan to stop using a joint account is to have a bank account in your own name. We can help you set one up.
    • Another step you can take is to change how an account operates, from 'anyone to sign' to 'all to sign'. Contact us and ask to change the account authority.
    • Ask us for 13 months of statements on any joint bank accounts so you can redirect any direct debits.
  • What you need to know: 

    • NAB credit cards are not joint credit cards.
    • NAB credit cards have one account holder (also called the primary cardholder), and this person is liable for all charges on the account. 
    • There may be a secondary cardholder who is authorised by the account holder (primary cardholder) to use a secondary card, but the secondary cardholder is not liable for the debt on this card. 

    If you’re the primary cardholder and would like to cancel a secondary card, contact us. You’ll remain responsible for any transactions made by a secondary cardholder until you advise us that you want to cancel the secondary card. 

  • What you need to know:

    • Consider cancelling redraw on your mortgage or changing redraw to 'both parties to sign'. To do this call us and ask to change the authority on your redraw.
    • If possible, agree to a plan about who will pay the mortgage payments and how much while you go through a property settlement. If there’s domestic or family violence, or a restraining order, use a trusted friend or family member to communicate with the other borrower if possible.
    • If you’re going to have difficulties making your mortgage payment contact NAB Assist on 1800 701 599 as we may be able to provide assistance.
    • If you’ve moved out of the home, consider removing your name from utility bills.
  • What you need to know:

    • Consider cancelling redraw on your personal loan or changing redraw to 'both parties to sign'. To do this call us and ask to change the authority on your redraw.
    • If possible, agree to a plan about who will pay the personal loan payments and how much while you go through a property settlement. If there’s domestic or family violence, or a restraining order, use a trusted friend or family member to communicate with the other borrower if possible.
    • If you’re going to have difficulties making your personal loan payment contact NAB Assist on 1800 701 599 as we may be able to provide assistance.

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Support services

There are many organisations that can help you if you are experiencing family or domestic violence. 

If there is an immediate threat to your safety call 000.

1800RESPECT

The National Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Counselling Service offers confidential online and telephone counselling, information and referral services. 
 
Visit 1800RESPECT, opens in new window or call 1800 737 732, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Lifeline

Lifeline provides Australians experiencing a personal crisis with 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.

Visit Lifeline, opens in new window or call 13 11 14.

National Centre for Suicide Prevention Training

Offers a range of evidence-based training programs across Australia.

Visit National Centre for Suicide Prevention Training, opens in new window or call 1300 60 80 95.

National Association of Community Legal Centres

An independent not-for-profit community organisation that provides legal and related services to the public, focusing on the disadvantaged and people with special needs. 

Visit National Association of Community Legal Centres, opens in new window

MensLine Australia

A free service offering national telephone and online support, information and referrals for men with family and relationship concerns.

Visit MensLine Australia, opens in new window or call 1300 789 978.

No to Violence Men’s Referral Service

This service provides confidential counselling online, over the phone or via live chat.

Visit No to Violence's Men's Referral Service, call 1300 766 491 or use Live Chat, opens in new window.

Other ways NAB can help

Contact us

Call us

NAB Assist Customer Support Hub. Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 7:00pm (AEST/AEDT)

Call 1300 308 175

Email us

Questions? Email us your query and include your reference number.

nab.customer.support@nab.com.au

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