Protect yourself.

Personal info
and privacy.

Personal info
and privacy.

Identity theft is a type of fraud that involves stealing someone’s personal information (or ‘identity’) to gain money or other benefits. It’s big business for scammers, which is why your personal data is so valuable.

Personal information includes your full name, address, phone number, date of birth, email address, usernames, passwords and bank details.

Be scam aware.

• Never provide your PIN or internet banking details to anyone, including your bank – ME will never ask you for this information
• Never disclose personal information over the phone unless it can be verified that you’re speaking to a trusted individual or service

Protect Yourself.

1. Never provide personal information to anyone who calls or emails you.

Avoid phishing scams that ask for your personal information like your address, bank account details or tax file number. Be wary of anyone asking for personal information via text, on the phone or by mail. Identity thieves often pretend to be government agencies, banks or stores so they can get your information.

2. Shred personal documents.

Never throw personal documents in the bin or recycling bin without shredding them first, including:

• Bank, medical and superannuation statements
• Credit card offers, or expired plastic debit and credit cards
• Receipts and other personal records

3. Create complex passwords.

Weak passwords can be guessed, and even strong passwords can be figured out through methods like brute force attacks.

How to create a strong password:

• Make your password very long
• It should consist of letters with upper and lower casing, symbols and numbers
• Don’t use a common phrase
• Don’t use passwords containing your name or date of birth
• Don’t reuse one password on different sites
• Don’t store passwords in your browser
• Use a password manager to securely store all your passwords

4. Monitor your physical mail.

Check your mailbox often. If you can, opt for paperless (email) statements from institutions that may use your personal information when contacting you. If you're going on holiday, place a hold on your mail, ask for someone to pick up your mail for you, or put a lock on your mailbox. If you expect certain documents like credit card statements to arrive in the mail (but they don't), alert your financial institution.

5. App privacy settings. 

Even though app security can apply to desktop devices, the term is used mostly in reference to mobile apps. ME recommends you have your settings fixed to private on all social media platforms.

 
 

Online security.

Online security.

It’s important to understand how to protect yourself from digital security threats. You can help reduce the risk of digital security threats by implementing financial malware protection software.

Malware is any kind of malicious software or code designed to exploit a computer – including computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware and other malicious programs.

Be scam aware.

• Be wary of web links sent via text or email prompting you to sign in to your internet banking or provide personal information
• Always access internet banking via the ME website or ME mobile app.

Protect yourself.

1. Keep your software up to date. One of the most important cyber security tips to mitigate ransomware is updating outdated software in both your operating system and applications. This helps to remove critical vulnerabilities that hackers use to access your devices.

2. Use firewalls and antivirus. A firewall is software or firmware that prevents unauthorised access to a network.

3. Install anti-theft. Anti-theft refers to data protection and theft prevention when data is in transit or at rest.

4. Don’t charge your electronic devices by connecting them to other people's chargers or computers. Besides increasing the risk of malware infection, connecting devices to other people's computer equipment can cause data to be transferred between them.

5. Use a security token. Using a security token for online transactions can make it even harder for a scammer to access your account. ME offers physical and digital security tokens to help you strengthen your online security.

Remote access scam.

Remote access scam.

In these scams, a scammer contacts an individual asking them to buy unnecessary software or a service to fix a problem for the purpose of misleading them into disclosing their personal information. It’s common for the scammer to pretend to be from a reputable company, often a telco.

Warning signs.

• A representative from a reputable company calls you out of the blue, advising they’ve detected internet or performance issues with your computer or modem
• They request remote access to your computer
• They ask you to log in to your internet banking
• They advise they need to refund your account
• They inform you they’ve overpaid your account, and instruct you to return the funds

Protect yourself.

1. Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer.

2. Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone, unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.

3. If you receive a phone call out of the blue about your computer and remote access is requested, hang up – even if they mention a credible company.

4. Protect your computer with regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall – research software first and only purchase software from a source you know and trust.

5. If you’ve fallen victim to a scam, or receive several unsolicited emails and phone calls, consider changing your email address and phone numbers.

Payments and transactions.

Payments and transactions.

Card-Not-Present (CNP) fraud happens when a payment is made without a physical card, and represents 85% of all card fraud in Australia. In 2020, $403 million of fraudulent purchases were made on Australian issued cards. That’s why it’s important to take care when transacting online.

Be scam aware.

• Stop – if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is
• Always seek independent financial advice before investing
• Be aware of who you interact with online – beware of rapid declarations of affection, or discussing matters that involve financial hardship
• Always confirm bank details, or a change of bank details, over the phone before making payment – never by email
• Refrain from sending funds upfront to a private seller, and purchase in person where possible

Protect yourself.

1. Check the website's authenticity. If you’re shopping on an unfamiliar website, conduct your own research about the website to validate it’s a reputable retailer.

2. Make sure the site is secure. Look for the lock – see the little padlock to the left of the address bar of your internet browser? This ensures a secure connection.

3. Know what you're purchasing. Whenever you enter card details online, be sure you know what you’re purchasing, and that the company you’re purchasing from is reputable and legitimate.

4. Be cautious when clicking links from unknown contacts. Avoid clicking hyperlinks in an email or text. You can check the link's legitimacy by hovering over it before clicking – if it looks unusual, discard the message. As a general rule, don’t provide your personal details to anyone you don’t know or trust, especially if it includes a proposition that involves payment.

5. Beware of requests to share a one-time passcode. This can be over the phone, or via a web page that you have been invited to visit through an unsolicited call, SMS or email. Never share verification codes including to someone you believe might be us.

If in doubt, call ME on 13 15 63 before making a payment