Commonwealth Bank Rolls Out AI-Powered Anti-Scam Security

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Australia’s biggest bank, the Commonwealth Bank, is stepping up its game against scams - and it’s bringing AI along for the fight.

They’ve just rolled out a new artificial intelligence scam detection tool and a fresh in-app security feature, hoping to curb the rise in bank fraud. CBA has been leaning into the AI boom, not just in customer service but now in scam protection too.

The star of the show is “Scam Checker,” an Australian-first tool inside the Truyu app. Never heard of Truyu? It’s a Commbank-backed app that monitors if your personal details — like your name, date of birth, licence, or passport — are being used online at 60% of Aussie vendors. If something suspicious pops up, you get an alert, and you can confirm if it’s legit or dodgy.

Now, with Scam Checker, you can screenshot a suspicious text, upload it into the app, and let AI help you figure out if it’s a scam. Truyu’s managing director, Melanie Hayden, says the idea isn’t to replace human judgement but to give people the insights they need before reacting. “AI works best alongside people, helping them pause, think, and make safer decisions,” she explained.

CBA’s general manager for group fraud, James Roberts, admits AI isn’t a “silver bullet” — so they’re pairing it with human oversight and customer awareness. The goal? Make AI trustworthy and effective.

Truyu, built with CBA’s venture arm x15ventures, has already helped thousands of Aussies by sending near real-time alerts when their identity is used at big retailers — and it can even detect if your details pop up in a data breach.

But that’s not all. CBA is also adding a new security layer to its banking app. Instead of sending you a one-time passcode via text for certain card transactions, the app will now ask you to verify them in real-time — right inside the app. This cuts out the risk of scammers spoofing businesses and tricking people via SMS.

“We can give clearer warnings in the app than in a text,” Roberts said. “It’s about making banking safer by blending human insight with smart tech.”

The in-app verification feature will roll out later this month, and CBA says it’s poured $900 million in the past year into tackling scams, fraud, cyber threats, and financial crime.

If scammers thought they had the upper hand, CBA’s message is clear: not anymore.

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