Security reminder

With the Christmas and the New Year season almost upon us, it’s that time of the year that requires extra vigilance and care as you go about making plans for the holiday season.

Yes, it's a time to rejoice with family and friends.

It is also, unfortunately, a time when the bad guys try to take advantage of the festive mood and hectic nature of this time, with Christmas shopping, planning and paying for holidays and so on.

While CUA has been very active in fighting fraud on a number of fronts, it is also important that our members partner with us in the fight to reduce the likelihood of fraud on their accounts. Therefore, we thought it appropriate to remind members of some basic precautions that should be taken to safeguard against fraud so your holiday will be the joyous event it should be, without any worries about protecting your money.

1. Never give your account or card details to anyone who contacts you via phone or email claiming to be from a financial institution.
2. Take care when using ATMs for anyone watching you enter your PIN.
3. CUA will never ring you or send you an email asking you to confirm account information.
4. If you do receive an enquiry that leaves you concerned, please phone CUA Direct immediately on 133 cua (133 282) to report the incident.

There are some common scams around that you should take note of to better protect your identity and money.

ATM Alert

Please be cautious of instances where the ATM you are using looks different, or you have problems inserting the card into the machine.

It has been reported the latest scam concerning ATMs is where members have had difficulty using the machine, and someone (in this case, a well dressed businessman) offers assistance, by advising the member to press a specific button on the top left side of the ATM and the card would be returned.

Then, when this doesn’t work, they have been asked to press one of the buttons on the top left side of the ATM. When the card does not appear, they are told to re-enter their PIN. The card is then returned.

This allows the fraudsters to not only take a copy of the card details, but the “helpful businessman” is looking over your shoulder and takes note of the PIN as you enter it. This allows them to create a copy of your card to use for purchases and ATMs.

When using ATMs please note:

• Be aware of anyone acting suspiciously near the ATM
• Be alert for anyone trying to look over your shoulder or observe you entering your PIN
• Always cover the keypad when entering your PIN with your hand or purse/wallet
• Never let anyone distract you or get your attention away from what you are doing at the ATM
• If you suspect there is something wrong with the ATM do not use it and, if at a branch, alert staff inside

SMS Scam

Members need to be aware that a fraudulent text message is currently been received by members of some credit unions that their banking details had been posted onto the web and asks the recipient to log on to a website which would provide further instructions on how to remove these details.

Please do not respond to this message, or access the web site, as it appears it then downloads a virus on your computer, thus capturing your personal details.

If you have responded to this message, please contact our helpful staff at CUA Direct on 133 282, and they will assist you.

BPAY scam

BPAY has been made aware of a scam email claiming to be from BPAY with the subject heading “New bill pay system from BPAY! Try out”.

Please note that this email is fraudulent and has not been sent by BPAY or any financial institution.

If you receive this or a similar email, please do not follow any of the links and delete the email immediately.

If you have accidentally given out personal information regarding your account details, please change your password on Web Banker immediately. If you are unsure how to do this, or have any other queries, please contact our helpful staff at CUA Direct on 133 cua (133 282) and they will assist you.

Phishing scam

From time to time, emails are distributed claiming to be from CUA. These are in fact fraudulent emails designed to obtain personal information.

These emails ask you to enter a website and then confirm your details. They may also state that specific funds have been debited from your account and that you need to confirm the transaction by clicking on a link and supplying card details.

If you receive this or a similar email, please do not follow any of the links and delete the email immediately.

If you have accidentally given out personal information regarding your account details, please change your password on Web Banker immediately. If you are unsure how to do this, or have any other queries, please contact our helpful staff at CUA Direct on 133 cua (133 282) and they will assist you.

Credit card security alert

MasterCard holders should beware of a new internet scam. A phishing trojan is currently circulating the internet. This is a window that pops up asking people to ‘verify’ their credit card details (see the picture below).

Please be warned that no credit card company would ever approach cardholders to verify account details, including PIN and expiry date, via email or online.

Protect yourself against online fraud

Whilst CUA has been active in fighting fraud on a number of fronts, it is important that you are aware of some basic precautions to help protect yourself against online fraud:

• Never reply to emails asking for confidential banking information such as password and login details, card and bank account details, especially those claiming to be from a financial institution. CUA will never send you an email asking you to confirm, update or disclose your confidential banking information.
• Ensure you have current anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed on your computer and that it’s up-to-date.
• Never divulge your password or PIN to anyone.
• If you have accidentally given out confidential banking information, change your password on Web Banker immediately and report the matter to us.
• Always type your financial institution’s website address into your browser to access secure online banking. Never use a link that has been sent to you or that is on a different website. These may lead to fraudulent websites.
• Always log out from your internet banking session when you have finished and remember to close your browser.
• Regularly check your account balances and immediately report any discrepancies to 133 cua (133 282).
• Always report lost or stolen cards immediately.
• When using an ATM, be aware of anyone trying to see what PIN you have entered.
• Ensure you keep you contact details with CUA up-to-date in the event that we need to contact you.
• If going overseas, advise CUA Direct or your local branch prior to leaving so we can monitor any overseas transactions.

There are many more important safeguards that you can take to protect you and your family against fraud. The Australian Government has an excellent website that provides detailed information on the latest fraud prevention methods - www.staysmartonline.gov.au.

If you have any other queries, please contact us on 133 cua (133 282).