Nationwide Building Society has introduced a new feature allowing customers to block harmful payment references, a move to safeguard abuse survivors . This addresses a tactic where perpetrators embed abusive messages within payment references to maintain unwanted contact and control. From Thursday, customers will be able to hide these references on incoming transfers directly through the Nationwide app , giving them control over what they see. Nationwide is also exploring extending this functionality to Virgin Money customers. The charity Surviving Economic Abuse estimates 4.2 million women across the UK have endured economic abuse from a current or former partner. Economic abuse can involve controlling bank accounts, credit, spending, or an individual's ability to work and earn income, often alongside other forms of abuse.…