Back to: Privacy & Security

 

• Credit cards
• Debit cards, EFTPOS and ATMs
• Bank accounts, passbook accounts and everyday accounts
• Personal cheques
• Identity theft
• Passwords and PINs
• Protecting your privacy

Credit cards

• Always know where your credit card is. If it goes missing, report it immediately on 1300 651 089 (Australia) or +61 2 9374 7082 (if overseas)
• If you are expecting a new or replacement card in the mail, make sure you contact the Bank if it does not arrive on time
• Sign your card immediately after you receive it
• Treat your card as if it were cash, and do not leave it unattended anywhere
• When your card expires, or you have cancelled it, destroy it by cutting through it diagonally more than once
• When using your card, always read the receipt and verify the transaction before signing
• Ensure that your card is handed back to you after use, not another one
• Be suspicious if the vendor takes your card out of your sight
• Tear up credit card receipts before putting them in the rubbish

See also: Passwords and PINs

Back to top 

Debit cards, EFTPOS and ATMs

• Always know where your debit card is. If it goes missing, report it immediately on 1300 651 089 (Australia) or +61 2 9374 7082 (if overseas)
• Always keep your card in sight when using it
• If anyone calls you to ask for your PIN, expiry date or card number, do not reveal it, even if the caller claims they are from Westpac
• When using your card, be aware of the behaviour of people nearby. Are they trying to see your PIN or behaving in a way that doesn't make sense? Report any suspicious acts to the Bank
• Record your PIN in a completely different place from your card

See also: Passwords and PINs

Bank accounts, passbook accounts, everyday accounts

• Never allow strangers to transact through your account for their own purposes
• Never accept money in return for allowing others to transact through your account
• Never 'sell' your account to another person

You may become involved in a criminal offence, with penalties attached.

Back to top 

Personal cheques

• When your chequebook arrives in the mail, ensure that it is complete and that the cheque butts and numbers are aligned. Be suspicious of an envelope that looks like it might have been tampered with
• When writing a cheque, write close to the printed words 'Amount' and 'Payee', and leave no space for anyone to add extra words, or to change what you've written
• Always use a blue or black ink pen
• Write clearly so your writing can't be altered without being noticed
• Never indicate on an envelope that a cheque is inside
• Avoid using window-faced envelopes
• When you finish using a cheque account with a bank, close it so others don't have the opportunity to commit fraud on that account
• Never give out a blank cheque, or an unsigned cheque
• Store the chequebook in a place where no one can steal it
• If you lose your chequebook, advise the Bank immediately and reorder a new one

Identity theft
Thieves and fraudsters increasingly seek to use your personal and/or banking information to obtain credit and steal money in your name. If this occurs, it can be very difficult to prove your innocence and restore your credit rating. To protect yourself and your financial information, follow these guidelines:

• Do not disclose personal or banking details to anyone who approaches you and asks for them
• Ensure Westpac always has your current contact details, including work and mobile phone numbers
• Keep a record of important contact numbers and account details in a secure place, so you can quickly report suspected fraud or theft
• Thieves may sometimes complete a 'change of address' form on your home address to divert your mail to them. Monitor the mail you receive and contact the Bank if you suspect your mail may have gone missing
• Ensure your letterbox at home is secure and only accessible by you, so that identity thieves cannot steal your mail before you get to it
• Don't leave anything in your car that may be of use to identity thieves - eg bills, registration papers, licences and other identifying information
• Always check your statements and accounts for any transactions that look suspicious
• Always file tax records and other financial documents securely, especially if you live in shared accommodation
• When throwing documents out in the rubbish, make sure that tax file numbers and other identifying information are not visible
• Never let your credit card out of your sight and don't give anyone the opportunity to 'skim' your details from your card
• Keep updating your anti-virus software and scan your PC regularly to prevent becoming a victim of online fraud, phishing emails or ghost websites. Cyber viruses can capture your personal, banking and business details
• Ask to have your personal information removed from marketing databases so you are safe if anyone hacks into those databases

See also: Passwords and PINs

Back to top 

Passwords and PINs

• Do not record these details on your computer in case a malicious computer virus enters your system
• Never disclose these details to others. If you do, you may be liable to repay any losses due to fraud
• If you cannot memorise passwords and PINs, and you need to keep them written down, store the information separately from your cards where other people wouldn't think to look
• Keep photocopies of important contact numbers and your records, in a secure place, so you can quickly report suspected fraud or theft
• Change passwords and PINs regularly
• Destroy any notifications from the Bank containing this information
• Do not use obvious numbers that others might be able to guess, such as phone numbers, birth dates, postcodes, or simple number sequences like 1234

Protecting your privacy

• Ask what the privacy policy is for the companies that you provide your personal or bank details to, and find out how they ensure the privacy of such information
• Read Westpac's Privacy Policy

Download General banking safety tips (PDF 49kb).

Back to top