A FAKE Facebook profile set up to track down missing ANZ debtors has been removed from the social networking site.
"Max Bourke", described as a single guy who enjoyed footy, poker and running on the beach, was created to contact customers with bad credit histories who had not updated their address details.
Fairfax newspapers reported on Wednesday that a large number of ANZ customers may have accepted Max Bourke as a "friend".
The profile originated from the bank's unsecured debt collections team in Melbourne, ANZ spokesman Stephen Ries confirmed.
"This sort of activity we believe was isolated but it certainly wasn't sanctioned or authorised by ANZ," he told AAP.
An investigation launched on Wednesday will determine how many employees are responsible for creating the profile.
It is unknown at this stage how long Max Bourke had been a member of Facebook, Mr Ries said.
"We're taking this matter very seriously and we'll take appropriate disciplinary action when the internal investigation is concluded.
"We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to inappropriate use of our internal systems."
