It’s a scary thought – but what would you do if your bank account was compromised? Many people in Australia are concerned about the increasing prevalence of credit and debit card fraud. To remain vigilant and proactive against this criminal behaviour, please ensure that you secure your card and pin at all times and stay up to date with fraudulent common practices as those described in this article.
Some of the ways Credit Card Criminals will attempt to Steal your Money
The following are some of the common card frauds:
- Skimming. A scammer replaces the card reader on an ATM, a cash register, a vending machine or even a petrol pump with a device called a skimmer. The skimmer ‘reads’ the magnetic strip on your card. This gives them the account information from your card. Some criminals also place a camera next to the skimmer to record pin numbers.
- Document theft. The scammer simply takes bills, cheques or other documents that contain account information out of your mailbox, or even your rubbish. There are also some thieves that sneak into offices and steal information from workers’ desks.
- Phishing scams. Criminals use a variety of methods to entice you to share your data online or over the phone. A common phishing scam is to email unsuspecting people a fake document that looks like a loan or credit card application, or even an invoice for fake payment.
- Phone scams. Criminals pretending to be debt collectors or even the Australian Taxation Office, call and ask for a credit card payment to stop the purported legal action.
- War Jamming. Criminals use a special device to capture financial data transmitted through a Wi-Fi network. You are reminded to only connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks.
- Fraudulent emails. These are devised to access credit card information.
As you can see, the bad guys have many tricks up their sleeve to get their hands on your card information. Thankfully, there are several straightforward measures you can take to remain alert about fraudulent activities.
Practical steps you can take to safeguard your credit and debit cards includes:
- Sign up for Regional Australia Bank’s internet banking, and use it to check your credit and debit card statements on a daily or weekly basis. Look for any suspicious transactions.
- Report any suspicious transaction activity to Regional Australia Bank, or your financial institution as soon as possible.
- Never give your credit or debit card information to anyone over the phone - even if that person has personal information about you. Take down their information, verify it, and call back on the number listed within the White or Yellow pages, or your own trusted records, to make a payment.
- Practice good computer security. Make sure your anti-virus is up to date, stay away from unknown potentially malicious websites, never share your personal information online or over the phone, and just be alert at all times. If in any doubt, ensure that you play it safe.
- Be aware that mobile app scams are on the rise. You can learn more about them at the Australian Crime Commission’s SCAMwatch Page.
We at Regional Australia Bank want to help you protect your money. If you have any questions or need help with credit or debit security, drop into a Regional Australia Bank branch near you or give us a call on 132 067.
This article provides general information only and should not be relied upon as financial product advice.
