No matter how you do your banking, the wide variety of scams and fraudsters out there makes it important to understand how to protect yourself and your personal information.
Common scams and how to avoid them
1. Romance scams
Scammers often create a fake online identity using platforms such as social media or dating apps to leverage their profile to build a relationship with you.
What to look out for:
These scammers will often:
- Ask for financial help with an injury or illness, travel costs, or a family emergency
- Make excuses for being unable to meet, such as serving in the army or living in another country
How to protect yourself:
- Never give money to someone you've met online, even if you feel like you've established a trustworthy relationship with them
- Always conduct a reverse image search on their photograph to ensure they are who they say are
2. Threat and penalty scams
These scams involve the scammer calling or sending emails claiming you owe money, when you don't.
What to look out for:
- Always be aware of any correspondence demanding payment for unpaid speeding fines, tax debts or overdue bills
How to protect yourself:
- Never feel pressured if someone claims you owe money
- Always call the business directly from their publicly listed number to follow-up with them
- If the threat was made via email, don't open any documents attached to it
3. Computer and mobile scams
These scams include the use of malware which is installed on to your computer. Scammers use this software to capture your movements on your computer.
What to look out for:
These scammers will often:
- Use an email with a link or an attachment containing malicious software
- Impersonate well-known businesses such as Amazon Prime, Telstra or Microsoft
- Try to gain access to your computer using software such as TeamViewer
How to protect yourself:
- Never download files, open attachments, or click links from untrustworthy websites or emails
- Be sure to keep your passwords secure and regularly updated
Stay suspicious
Always remember to be suspicious if you are asked to provide any of the following information:
- Internet banking password
- Address
- Date of birth
- Visa card details
- Remote access to your device (computer, laptop, tablet or mobile)
What do I do if I’ve been scammed?
If you have reason to believe you have provided your personal or banking details to a scammer, please contact us immediately. Help us keep other members safe by reporting any suspicious calls as soon as possible on 1300 362 216.
This blog post is for general information purposes only and is not intended as financial or professional advice. It does not have regard to the financial situation or needs of any reader and must not be relied upon as financial product or other professional advice. You should seek your own independent financial, legal and taxation advice before making any decision about any action in relation to the material in this article. Railways Credit Union Limited trading as MOVE Bank ABN 91 087 651 090. AFSL/ Australian Credit License number 234 536 | ABN 91 087 651
