Around 15 per cent of call centre of staff at banks were willing to assist unidentified callers work out ways to transfer funds on behalf of a friend or relative the research firm Global Reviews found.
The Age reported on the research today.
Without identifying themselves as researchers, in 20 calls to each of eight banks (and made in November 2010) they asked how they could get access to their friend's or partner's account.
The managing partner, Peter Grist, told the newspaper that ''half the time after saying no, the call centre staff would work with the caller to find out ways to do it.''
Usually the method involved internet or telephone banking and details such as account numbers and dates of birth that would be known to estranged or present partners.
Staff at the ANZ Bank were significantly less willing to advise caller how to break the rules than staff at the other banks, The Age reported.