UOB training frontline staff on dealing with cyber scams

More than 1,000 frontline branch staff of United Overseas Bank (UOB) will undergo training to strengthen their cyber preparedness amid emerging threats.

UOB partnered with the Singtel Cyber Security Institute (CSI) and Singapore Institute of Management Academy (SIM) to develop a customised curriculum under CSI and SIM's cyber scam preparedness programme called "Defence Against Cyber Scams."

Under the programme, the three parties co-developed workshops to include common scam typologies and scenarios encountered by UOB's frontline staff.

Participants went through different simulations of various tactics used by scammers, such as deep fakes and phishing, to harvest customers' credentials.

Anti-scam strategies discussed

According to the partners, they designed the programme to give staff a better understanding of scammers' mindsets and modus operandi to better convince customers to accept assistance.

Experts also discussed with the participants anti-scam strategies to better align with measures set out by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The collaboration “underpins our commitment to protect our customers from scams," said Janet Young, Managing Director and Group Head, Channels & Digitalisation and Strategic Communications & Brand, UOB, in a statement.

"This new cyber scam preparedness programme will complement existing trainings to fully equip our employees to better spot and handle the latest scam tactics, strengthening our line of defence to support customers."

All enterprises need to be equipped to deal with increasingly complex scams “that deploy artificial intelligence, phishing, social engineering and other modes of deception to trick consumers into giving away their critical personal data," said Ng Tian Chong, CEO of Singtel Singapore, in a statement.