What to do if there is a fraudulent transaction on your card
Be aware of credit card fraud
There are many different forms of credit card fraud. At its simplest, someone obtains your credit card details and uses them over the phone or on the Internet to make purchases in your name.
You should always carefully check your statement each month to determine if there are charges for purchases you did not make.
How will you know if you are a victim of fraud?
You may not be aware that your card has been used fraudulently until:
- You receive your statement and there are charges for purchases you did not make
- Our Fraud Detection team advises you on unusual activity on your card and asks if the charges are yours.
What happens when there are fraudulent transactions on your card?
This is the process when transactions on your card are fraudulent .
- You must contact us as soon as you read your statement and suspect fraud
- We will stop your card (and the card of any additional cardholders) and issue new cards
- We will stop and replace companion cards (e.g. American Express ® linked to Altitude, Singapore Airlines Westpac or Earth MasterCard ® or Visa Cards)
- We will work with you to create a record of the fraud and will send you a ‘Transaction Investigation Request’ form. This request will outline the list of transactions that are fraudulent
- You confirm and sign the form then return it within 14 days of receipt
- We complete the investigation and refund the fraudulent transactions (depending upon the case).
In addition, you must:
- Inform your service providers of your new credit card details if you have regular payments (direct debits) taken from your credit card, if applicable. A template is available to help you write the letter if needed.
- Activate the Card Autopay feature on your new card, if applicable.
How long does it take to get the new card?
A replacement credit card will be delivered within 5 -7 working days using standard post or within 2 days using express courier within Australia. Overseas express couriers take 5 -10 days, depending on location.
Your replacement card has a new PIN that you can change at any Westpac branch. As a security measure, you should receive the PIN a few days after you receive your credit card. It will be sent in a separate envelope.
What happens to the fees and charges?
Fees and interest charges may appear on your statement due to the fraudulent transactions. These will be refunded in full when the investigation is complete. Any fees and interest incurred due to your genuine transactions will be continued to be charged as normal.
View more details on how we manage card fraud and card replacements.
Things you should know
- Important: If you are applying for a selected credit card at the same time or after your Premier Advantage Package is set up, or if you are switching or upgrading from an existing Westpac credit card, or if you are accessing employee benefits, you are not eligible for any special promotional offers (such as any promotional balance transfer rate) available at point of application. Please check the details at card application. Fees and charges are payable. Credit card applications are subject to Westpac's normal lending criteria. An additional credit card can be issued on the primary cardholder’s credit card account to any nominated person 16 years or over. All transactions using the additional credit card will be the responsibility of the primary cardholder. Information about a third party’s products or services is provided for convenience only and does not represent an endorsement by Westpac of the products and services.
- American Express® is a registered trademark of American Express.
- MasterCard® and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated.
