Shining a light on scams

As technology evolves, it’s more important than ever to stay safe online. Yet it can also feel more confusing than ever to know how to do that. At Hume Bank, we’re not just dedicated to protecting your finances, we’re also determined to arm you with the kind of straightforward, easy-to-understand information you need to keep yourself safe.

More scams, more often

Financial crime has become more common; in fact, it feels like an everyday occurrence in our community. Unfortunately, scammers have also become much more sophisticated.

Whether asking you to pay a fake road toll, pretending they are family on WhatsApp, porting your mobile phone number or offering what looks like an investment opportunity that is too good to be true. Scammers have the ability make themselves highly convincing and appear believable. They are adept at creating websites, emails and phone numbers that closely resemble legitimate organisations, like banks.

Protecting you

The increase in scams is a growing issue in Australia. Addressing this problem takes the collective effort of government, banks, the business sector, the community and customers.

We have services working 24 hours a day to help keep you safe from financial crime. We’re always looking out for suspicious account activity. If you believe someone may be trying to scam you, our dedicated team will do everything we can to help.

We also continue to invest in technology and expertise that will help us stay ahead of scammers. This includes being swift in implementing changes in our defences in direct response to an increase in scam activity.

What you can do

• Keep your personal information safe and avoid having confidentialand identifying information on social media.
• Take extra precautions, such as setting up a password or PIN with your mobile phone and internet providers.
• Protect your email and other online accounts using strong passwords — ideally generated by a password manager — and NEVER re-use old passwords.
• Install anti-virus software on all your devices.
• Keep your internet banking log-in details private. We’ll NEVER ask for your log-in details – and they should not be shared with family, friends or bank staff.
• Stop and think before clicking on links, opening attachments, or responding to emails or text messages. We’ll NEVER email or text you a direct link asking you to log in to your online banking or provide us with any personal information.
• If you’re unsure whether a call from an organisation is legitimate, hang up and call them back on their publicly listed phone number.
• Don’t let anyone you don’t know access your computer or device remotely.
• When making a payment, take the time to check all details are correct and the source of the payment request is genuine.
• If you want to ensure your safety, communicate with us via the Hume Bank App – it’s authenticated and protected.

Stay informed and up to date on the latest scams.

Important reminder

We’ll NEVER call our customers and ask for any personal details. This includes financial or banking details, such as your iBank password. If you receive a call or message and are unsure if it’s safe, call us on 1300 004 863.