Keeping your hard-earned funds secure is our highest priority and we are consistently updating our processes in line with current fraud trends. Keeping informed is the most effective way to keep your card secure and protect yourself from scams and fraud.
What is card fraud?
Card fraud is when transactions are made using either your physical card or card details online without your consent. Common methods of card fraud are card-not-present, physical card theft and card skimming.
Card-not-present fraud
Card-not-present (CNP) fraud is the most common type of fraud and involves your card details being used to make transactions online or over the phone. To avoid CNP fraud you should be careful when entering your card information online and make sure that you’re only shopping on secure and
legitimate sites.
You can check this by:
- Looking for https:// at the start of a website URL instead of http://
- Search for reviews or feedback about the website before purchasing
- Be wary if the item is offered for a considerably cheaper price than elsewhere, it could be an illegitimate seller
Keeping your hard-earned funds secure is our highest priority and we are consistently updating our processes in line with current fraud trends. Keeping informed is the most effective way to keep your card secure and protect yourself from scams and fraud.
Physical card theft and interception
Card theft involves someone stealing your card from you, whether it be in your wallet, car, or home. It is not uncommon for card present fraud to be carried out by a family member or someone known to you. Card interception, also known as ‘card never arrived’ fraud, is where someone steals your card before it arrives by taking it from your mailbox before you have the chance to collect it.
Did you know?
To help protect your new or renewed MOVE Bank Visa Card it requires activation by securely logging in to Internet Banking or the MOVE Bank App, before it can be used.
Card skimming
Card skimming occurs when the magnetic strip on your card is copied, and your pin observed when using. Card skimming devices are most commonly
found on ATMs and sometimes EFTPOS terminals. The safest way to avoid card skimming is to not swipe your card unless you are sure the machine
or terminal has not been tampered with. If an ATM or EFTPOS terminal looks like it may have been tampered with, don’t insert your card.
How can you protect yourself?
To protect yourself, always keep your card in a safe and secure place. Ensure your card details are not saved to shared devices or with family/household
members. If you are expecting a new card to arrive in the mail, ensure your letterbox is locked and be sure to check it regularly.
Keep an eye out for any suspicious transactions in your account or on your statement, no matter the value. This could indicate a fraudster has obtained your card details and is making purchases. Catching unusual activity early and reporting it is vital and can stop fraudsters in their tracks.
Transactions can only be disputed within 120 days of the first transaction from the merchant.
The below case highlights the importance of checking your account transactions regularly.
Example Case
Kate was having some issues with excel formulas and turned to Google, finding the help she needed from a online site for only $2 Kate provided her card details and authorised the transaction. What Kate didn’t know is that she also agreed to a monthly subscription fee that would also be charged to her card. Six months passed before one day Kate happened to see the monthly subscription charge on her account and went looking back through her
transactions to discover it had been happening each month for the last six months.
In this case, as none of the monthly subscriptions were disputed within the first 120 days of been charged, it was deemed that those transactions and all subsequent transactions were authorised and not eligible for dispute. Kate was out of pocket the entire amount and had to contact the website to cancel the subscription.
If Kate was checking her account regularly and identified the transaction earlier she would have had been able to dispute the transactions and potentially recover the funds.
Other giveaways can include receiving an SMS containing a one-time password when you aren’t making a transaction. This could indicate that
someone is attempting to use your card for fraudulent purchases. Never give out a one-time password to someone over the phone, even if they are claiming to be from your bank.
For an added layer of security, consider using digital wallet providers such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay for online purchases. These services do not share your card details with the website you are purchasing from, meaning the risk of your information being stolen is significantly reduced.
What to do if you’ve been scammed?
If you think you’ve fallen victim to a scam, please contact us as soon as possible on 1300 362 216. You can lock your card at any time on the MOVE Bank app and Internet Banking.
If there are unauthorised transactions on your account, you may be able to lodge a VISA Dispute. This is an investigation conducted by VISA where liability for the transaction/s is determined. A VISA Dispute can only be lodged for transactions made in the last 120 days, making it important to review your quarterly statements closely. Learn more about VISA’s rules for dispute at visa.com.au/support/consumer/visa-rules.html
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.
