According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and its latest Targeting Scams report, released in June, Australians lost over $851 million to scams in 2020, a record amount, as scammers took advantage of the pandemic to con unsuspecting people.

How BankVic is helping

At BankVic, we check transactions for unusual or out of the ordinary activity, but we also want to help you stay better informed about scams so you can protect yourself online.

This is important, because while we can identify the sort of unusual activity that occurs when a card is stolen, other types of scams are harder for us to detect. So called ‘phishing’ is one example. This is where “criminals impersonate legitimate organisations like your bank or a government department with an email or text message to steal sensitive information. These fake messages may look real, but they will direct you to a fake website where you are asked for information like your pin number” says Scott Wall, Chief Information Officer at BankVic. “BankVic would never ask our members to provide their login credentials via an email or text message and if a member does get this type of contact, they should contact their Bank on the published number.”

This reflects the approach taken by banks, phone companies and Government departments in Australia. The best way to handle calls like this is hang up – and if you do want to follow up, call the business or Government department directly yourself.

Some ways to protect yourself include:

  • Keep your personal details secure and protect your Identity.
  • Beware of any requests for your details or money - never send money to someone you don’t know and trust.
  • Be careful when shopping online.
  • Know who you're dealing with.
  • Do not open suspicious texts, pop-up windows or click on links or attachments in emails – delete them.
  • Don't respond to phone calls about your computer asking for remote access – hang up.
  • Keep your mobile devices and computers secure with strong passwords.
  • Choose your passwords carefully.
  • Review your privacy and security settings on social media.
  • Be wary of unusual payment requests.
  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

When it comes to scams on your BankVic Visa Credit Card, we can lodge a dispute and request chargeback for Visa transactions, subject to the dispute type and its requirements, situation and documentation provided, however you need to keep in mind that when fraud has occurred on your card, you aren’t always guaranteed a full reimbursement.

Find out more

You can find out more about scams from the ACCC, Scamswatch or through our Online Safety Series with community partner, Crime Stoppers Victoria. You can also email us on info@bankvic.com.au or call 13 63 73 if you suspect you’re a victim of fraud.