‘Tis The Season To Be Scam Free

The holidays are here. In the busiest time of the year for online sales, you can be sure the scammers are going to be just as busy as Santa and his elves. So how can you protect yourself from the Grinch who wants to steal your money or identity?

This holiday season, we’ve handpicked the best hints, tips and resources to help you identify and protect yourself from the global threat of scams.

This article is for general information only. We have not considered your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate before acting on it. This article was originally published in December 2020 and updated in December 2021.

Forewarned is forearmed

Do you know the difference between fraud and a scam? While fraud is any activity that you have no knowledge of, a scam occurs when you collaborate with the criminal in some way… even if you don’t know you’re doing it.

According to Scamwatch: “Scams succeed because they look like the real thing and catch you off guard when you’re not expecting it. Scammers are getting smarter and taking advantage of new technology, new products or services and major events to create believable stories that will convince you to give them your money or personal details.”

Once the scammers get their hands on your personal information, they can commit all kinds of fraud, not limited to using your credit card to make online purchases or opening a bank account.

The Scamwatch website has more information on the different types of scams.

Ho, ho… no!

Scams can be so convincing that they often look like the real thing, so the best defence is knowing how the scammers try to trick you. Scamwatch has comprehensive information on how to spot a scam and protect yourself from the threat, or visit the UniBank security hub for more hints and tips.

When it comes to your online safety, always remember the following:

• Never share your pin number, security codes or login details with anyone.
• Never share your personal details. Scammers will use various methods to try and trick you into giving up personal information such as access codes, passwords, date of birth or your bank details. Once they have this information, the scammers can use it to take your money.
• Create a password that is difficult for anyone to guess. Your complex password should consist of at least thirteen characters, including of a mix of letters, symbols in both upper and lower cases.
• Never click on links in unsolicited articles, emails or texts.
• Never download software to your computer from a source you don’t know or trust.
• Do you know the person or organisation contacting you via email, phone or SMS? If not, is there a valid reason for them to be doing so? If the answer to either of these questions is no, do not engage.
• Never give anyone you don’t know and trust remote access to your computer or device.
• Does the unsolicited offer you’ve received appear too good to be true? If so, there’s a good chance it could be a scam.
• Have you been contacted about an investment or other offer? To make sure the company is legitimate, check to see if they’re registered on the ASIC website.

Oops…

Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to steal your money and personal details. Even when armed with the best information, it’s still possible to fall victim to a sophisticated scam.

If you’ve been scammed, or if you’re concerned that your account may have been compromised in some way, please contact UniBank immediately so we can limit any further damage.

If in doubt, check the Scamwatch website for alerts on current scams or visit our security pages for tips on how to keep your personal information and money safe online, at ATMs and while shopping.