ANZ pushed pre-approved unsolicited overdrafts
Albert Dinelli, one of the counsel assisting the royal commission, took Heang Forbes, who has the job title of "pricing operations chapter lead" at ANZ Banking group, on a journey through her bank's overdraft products, both formal and unintended. In a previous role, in 2014 and 2015, as a product manager, Forbes said she was responsible for four products: ANZ Assured, $500 and $1000 limit; the permanent overdraft and the temporary overdraft and eligible ANZ account for the amount of either $500 or $1000.Dinelli established that bank customers with an eligible ANZ account could, essentially, go into debt to the bank for either $500, or $1000.Forbes said this product was intended to operate as a safety net to cover customer's small and temporary cash shortfalls; it's not designed to be used for a specific purpose or drawdown and is paid back over an extended period of time. Dinelli then asked Forbes: "What's the difference between this sort of overdraft facility ... and what's called the informal overdraft facility that ANZ provides customers?"Forbes: "It's my understanding that an informal overdraft facility is not a prearranged overdraft facility. Your linked account has an informal overdraft facility. The informal overdraft facility is a service provided by ANZ to give customers a convenient way to meet unplanned short-term borrowing needs."After hearing Dinelli's descriptions, Forbes agreed that the formal and informal overdrafts were similar in how they were used.And then there was also an annual fee that was required to be paid in monthly instalments on the ANZ Assured overdraft product.And for that relevant period, 2014, 2015, ANZ sent out some 330,000 unsolicited pre-approved offers for either the $500 or the $1000 Assured overdraft. Those obligations included making reasonable inquiries about a customer's financial situation, the commission was told.These reasonable steps to verify that information and making an assessment whether the credit contract, and overdraft facility, were suitable or unsuitable for the customer were not taken was the conclusion that Dinelli was angling for.The afternoon continued with the commission also heard from Sarah Stubbings, the head of home loan product Australia at ANZ. She will be the first witness back in the spotlight when the hearing resume later today.