Fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, finding new ways to trick people into sharing their personal information.
With new scams emerging every day and over $118 million lost to scams in Australia in 2019*, it is important to take steps to protect your personal information and accounts. Here we explain our top tips to avoid being scammed online and what to do if you’ve been targeted.
Keep your details personal
Don't give away your personal information lightly. Unless you’re establishing a new membership or account with us, remember that we will never ask you to provide:
> Your internet banking login details
> Your date of birth
> Your marital status or family details
> Your address
Use strong passwords
Choose a strong password that would be difficult for others to guess and ensure that you update it regularly. Strong passwords should incorporate letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers and symbols. You should also avoid using the same password across multiple accounts, so you can be confident that even if one account is compromised
your other accounts are secure.
Stay suspicious
Sadly, scammers do a good job at impersonating legitimate businesses and can replicate websites, emails and other online content. Always look for a familiar URL or email address before clicking links or submitting forms.
Keep your documents safe
A lot of identity fraud still starts with the theft of documents, from the mailbox or bin. Limit the amount of mail you receive that contains private information and dispose of these documents carefully. Swap to online statements with MOVE Bank at any time by selecting ‘Online Statements’ from the ‘Accounts’ menu in Internet Banking.
Register for One Time Passwords
One Time Passwords is a two-step authentication process which adds an extra level of security to Internet Banking. This means that in addition to using your Internet Banking password to log in, you’ll also enter a unique code which is sent by SMS to your mobile.
What do I do if I think I’ve been scammed?
If you’ve sent money or shared your bank details with a scammer, please contact us immediately on 1300 362 216. For more information about scams, visit scamwatch.gov.au.
* Source: Scamwatch: Scam Statistics 2019
