Protect yourself from fraud and scams
Anyone can fall victim to a scam, so it’s important to be vigilant and stay informed. People who commit fraud are sophisticated and often change tactics. Please take a few minutes to check you’re up to date.
- STOP. Take a moment to stop and think before parting with money or information. It could keep you safe.
- CHALLENGE. Ask yourself, could it be fake? It’s okay to reject or ignore a request. Only criminals will try to rush you.
- PROTECT. Check with someone you trust. Contact us immediately if you think you’ve been scammed.
Scammers often call out of the blue – by phone, email, text, social media or even in person are common. Treat any unsolicited messages with suspicion, even if it looks like it might be genuine. Scammers can make it seem like a message comes from a genuine company, by changing the number or sender name that you see. Be sceptical. If you’re not 100% sure, end the call and don’t engage.
Are you being put under pressure to act quickly or keep it secret? Don’t panic, take all the time you need to think it through. Speak to someone you trust if you need advice.
If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Please explore the below tabs and this page Types of Scams and Fraud to learn more.
Scams to watch out for
Click on the below links to see more information on the type of scam and how to protect yourself from it.
How to handle a suspicious call
If we call you, its okay to check its really us.
If you can an unexpected call and you’re not sure it is from us – just end the call.
Scammers can stay on the line and keep it open. Call us back from a different telephone line, or call a friend first to check your line is clear.
Don’t call us back on the number that called you, or a number that you find online that might look like ours. Check the back of your debit card for our telephone number.
Scammers can also change the name or number that you see on your phone or device, to make it seem like a call or message is coming from us or another genuine company. Always check you’re calling a number you can definitely trust.
We will never ask you to move money, e.g. to keep it safe from fraud – that’s a scam.
We will never ask for your:
- PIN
- Password/s
- Activation codes (like a one-time passcode)
- Card information
We will never ask for remote access to your device or send you a link to make a payment.
Some tips to protect yourself and keep your money safe:
- Always question what you are being told – its okay to stop and challenge
- Don’t call back numbers you don’t recognise
- Don’t reply to suspicious emails or phone calls
- Never transfer money to anyone you don’t know – even if they seem to have information that you would expect
- STOP. Take a moment to stop and think before parting with money or information. It could keep you safe.
- CHALLENGE. Ask yourself, could it be fake? It’s okay to reject or ignore a request. Only criminals will try to rush you.
- PROTECT. Check with someone you trust. Contact us immediately if you think you’ve been scammed.
Methods that criminals use
There are several ways that a criminals may contact you to attempt to trick you into sending them money or revealing important sensitive information that may assist them with committing fraud. These are the methods they may use:
- Social Engineering – Social engineering is the tactic of manipulating, influencing, or deceiving a victim in order to gain control over a computer system, or to steal personal and financial information.
- Telephone (Vishing) – Vishing, or voice phishing, is a type of phishing attack where scammers use phone calls to trick individuals into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, by pretending to be a legitimate entity. This type of scam can be executed by real humans or via pre-recorded robocalls.
- Emails (Phishing) – Phishing is the practice of sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from a legitimate and reputable source, usually through email. The attacker’s goal is to steal money, gain access to sensitive data and login information, or to install malware on the victim’s device.
- Instant Messaging Channels (Smishing) – Smishing is a social engineering attack that uses fake mobile text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cybercriminals.
