Skip to Content
BSB 704-191
Lady-on-laptop-change-password-Hero

Scams and Fraud

We all have a role to play to protect ourselves. As a community of Bank First Members, let’s keep working together to be vigilant.

Report a scam or fraud

We’re busting scams wide open

There’s absolutely no shame in being scammed and there’s no shame in having a ‘close call’. Let’s get the conversation out into the open and share our stories.

Too much trust

An elderly Member trusted a member of her support community and almost lost her life savings. Red flags went up as $30,000 in transactions suddenly appeared on her account.

Read more
Member me, Member you

Another example of be careful who you trust. A transaction of this size was unusual for this Member. It was flagged ‘suspicious’ and it turns out, it was.

Read more
Holiday island scam

A holiday for one of our Member’s is a trip interstate to visit family. That’s why a request to substantially increase his credit card limit for an overseas holiday raised questions.

Read more
It won’t happen to me

Think only ‘oldies’ get scammed? If you don’t bank online you won’t get caught? Think again. Scams can happen to anyone and they’re becoming more sophisticated.

Read more

Warning signs

You should NEVER give any information like SMS One Time Passwords or codes to anyone. Bank First will NEVER request this information from Members.

What to do in the event of a scam or fraud

Received a text or call that seemed too good to be true? It usually is. Legitimate companies will never ask you to reveal passwords or financial information. 

NEVER give any information like SMS One Time Passwords or codes to anyone. Bank First will NEVER request this information from Members.

Beware of scams and stay updated on national scams by reviewing current scams at scamwatch.gov.au.

PausePause

Don’t act straight away. Stop and think about what you’re being asked to do. 

Real companies or government agencies won’t pressure you to make payments.

ReviewReview

Have a quick look on Google to see if the company or person is real and whether it's the right phone number.

Check to see if anyone else has had similar experiences.

AskAsk

If you’re still unsure, show a family member or friend and ask for their opinion before taking any action.

Young-woman-using-smartphone-hero

Need to stop a card?

Have you had suspicious activity on your accounts or credit card? You can stop or lock your card through the Bank First app.

What is phishing?

Phishing is the most common cyber-attack used today. They can be sent to you via email, text message, and sometimes via social media from what can appear to be a reputable source.  Phishing attacks are used to trick the recipient into revealing sensitive information or data in order to steal from you. 

Remember to pause, review and ask a friend or family member when you receive such messages. Learn more about protecting yourself from specific scams below.

Text message and email scamsText message and email scams

Scam text messages or emails will sometimes look like they come from a reputable source. 

Keep an eye out for spelling mistakes and email addresses that mimic a real organisations.

Never click any links.

What to look for

Phone scamsPhone scams

Scam phone calls include calls where scammers will impersonate Bank First or a well-known company.

They may gain your trust and pressure you to provide passwords, codes or personal information over the phone claiming it will clear an unpaid bill, fine or similar. 

What to do

Online shopping scamsOnline shopping scams

As online shopping increases, scammers try to take advantage of those who shop online.

These can be anywhere on the internet but are especially found on online marketplaces, social media, classified sites and more. 

Learn more

Fake websitesFake websites

Scammers can create fake websites that look almost identical to a reputable organisation that you deal with.

These websites are also designed to steal your personal information.

Check the website URL is legitimate. Never click any links.

What to look for

Remote access scamsRemote access scams

Remote access scams happen when scammers contact you by phone, email or text claiming to be from a familiar company.

They may ask you to give them remote access to your computer or device by downloading an app or say they need to remove a virus or malware from your computer.

Never download software or apps you don't know or give information like SMS One Time Passwords or codes.

Learn more

Investment scamsInvestment scams

Investment scams usually occur when someone pretends to be a financial advisor or similar.

A popular investment scam is where scammers try to get people to invest in cryptocurrency.

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. 

Learn more

Let’s work together and stop these scams

If you think you have been targeted or lost money as a result of a scam or fraud, report it now. Let’s keep working together to be vigilant.

Do not answer unknown calls or respond to text and email messages.