<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Exclusive:</span></strong><span> One of Australia's biggest </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/banks" rel="" target="_blank" title="banks"><span>banks</span></a><span> will soon be asking all new customers to take a selfie to confirm their identity.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>National Australia Bank (NAB) will start using selfies to help combat the spread of identity theft from next month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The bank said the new feature will be a breakthrough in the fight against cybercriminals.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/erin-patterson-mushroom-triple-murderer-prepares-to-face-her-victims/74768c8b-70b9-4675-942b-fdcb7db11270" target="_blank"><strong><span>Erin Patterson's only surviving victim forgives her, asks for confession</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NAB said new customers will verify their identity using their biometric data, also known as full facial recognition.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's designed to stop stolen licences and passports being used to open dummy bank accounts, which is a fast-moving problem in the world of scams.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Over 255,000 Australians a year have their identity stolen or compromised," Head of NAB group investigations Chris Sheehan told 9News Finance Editor Chris Kohler.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/nab-customers-selfie-to-confirm-identity-banking-app/5d5e9718-089b-41d3-88f0-51fa566ea5aa" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Now that number, I suspect, is on the low side.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're confident we're going to make a real difference."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/spring-weather-forecast-australia-2025-what-to-expect-everything-to-know-explainer/3e51b48f-caf0-474c-8466-2a6a38451a18" target="_blank"><strong><span>A warmer and wetter spring in store for much of Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/brandon-smith-charged-queensland-police/d335657f-7d8b-45bd-90ba-0ffcdcd312fc" target="_blank"><strong><span>NRL star Brandon Smith charged over alleged drug supply, betting offences</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Industry analysts support the move, but say with more data actually comes more exposure.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What we need to worry about is where is this information being held," technology expert Trevor Long said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is the last thing we want, our names, our details and photos of ourselves being hacked."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NAB said there are no plans to make existing customers verify in this way and that anyone concerned should visit a branch in person to open a new account.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The move comes as the ACCC reports scam losses are increasing, with $175 million lost in just the first half of this year alone.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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