A customer of ANZ Bank has sparked a fierce debate after her account was temporarily blocked for refusing to complete a mandatory privacy questionnaire. The woman, who shares her story on TikTok as @auroracrystalsbyambre, took drastic action, vowing to withdraw all her funds from the institution.
Account Access Cut Over Compliance Refusal
The dispute centres on ANZ's Know Your Customer (KYC) process, a standard banking procedure used to verify a customer's identity and details. The bank states these checks are a legal requirement to protect clients from fraud and financial crime. "Even if none of your details have changed, we're still required to confirm this information with you on an ongoing basis," ANZ's website explains.
However, the Australian customer saw it as an unacceptable overreach. "So, you think you can turn my money off? I will be here (ATM) every day, getting my money out," she declared in a video. After her account was initially blocked, she called the bank and secured a seven-day access window, but she still refused to complete the survey.
"I'm Tired of the Government Trying to Protect Me"
The woman expressed deep frustration, drawing parallels to recent public health mandates. "It's reminding me of 'just wear a mask and it will be fine'... None of it was fine," she said. Her core argument was about control: "I don't think it's right that they can block access to all of your money if you don't do what they want."
She used the temporary access to move her money to another account so she could withdraw it as cash. The experience led her to consider a radical change in how she banks. "I think I need to run bank accounts with a maximum of $500 because there's no way I can lose access to all my money again," she stated, questioning why verification that was sufficient to open and run an account for five years was suddenly inadequate.
Public Reaction and Regulatory Reality
The incident divided opinion online. Many commenters pointed out that KYC checks are a legal obligation for all regulated banks in Australia, designed to safeguard customers and the financial system from scammers and money laundering. "All banks are legally required to do this... it is being done to protect you and your money," one person wrote.
Others sided with the customer, feeling the banks' power was excessive. "Soon as I got that email, I closed my account. It's none of their business," one individual commented, with another revealing a similar experience with a different bank. A third noted succinctly: "Every bank/financial institution is doing it. The federal government has regulated it."
The woman remained unmoved by the security rationale. "I'm tired of the government trying to protect me and keep me 'safe'," she wrote. The Daily Mail has contacted ANZ for further comment on the case.
