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Identifying a scam is not always easy. When you are surfing the internet or scrolling through your social media page, you can potentially be exposed to online scams. Scams come in a variety of guises, including those that specifically target the elderly and children. Therefore, you need to be able to learn the signs. Here are some tips on how you can identify online scams. Emails, SMS, Phone Call and Social Media These are the most common ways scammers like to reach their targets. Scammers will attempt to contact you and pretend to be from a legitimate business such a bank, telephone or internet service provider. The scammer asks you to provide or confirm your personal information. NEVER EVER give anyone your personal information through emails, SMS, phone calls or social media. Also don't click on any links you have been given as the link may contain a virus or malware. The "Free Trial Offer" Watch out for "free trial" offers. Some of the "free trial" tricks are legal because the conditions under which victims end up paying are often hidden in small print. Errors Many scams are rife with grammatical and spelling errors. If you receive messages laden with such errors about a "great deal" or contest, it's probably a scam, even if it comes from a "friend". However, there are plenty of scams that contain flawless wording, as it's one of the ways scammers make their messages look legitimate. Foreign Offers Look out for foreigners claiming they need a few hundred dollars to access thousands of dollars and tell you that they will provide you with a cut of the money. This type of scam has become common. Talent Search "Kids talent searches" are types of scams that target children specifically. These scams might suggest that a child joins a particular modelling agency or accepts an invitation for a screen test. They may seem real at first, but they always ask for money to continue "working" with the agency. Scholarship Scam Another scam that targets children is scholarship scams. They claim to be recognising children for academic achievement, but they will ask for significant upfront fees just like talent search.

We'd like to draw your attention to the increasing number of bank impersonation scams in Australia, which have been growing in sophistication and complexity. According to ACCC’s Scamwatch, there were over 14,600 bank impersonation scams reported in 2022, causing losses over $20 million. Total losses to phone and text scams increased considerably in the past year, with losses exceeding $169 million.1   What is a bank impersonation scam? Bank impersonation scams occur when a scammer impersonates a bank or financial institution to trick their victims into making payments to a fraudulent account. The scammer may make the phone call seem like it is coming from the bank's legitimate phone number or send a SMS that appears in the same thread as genuine bank messages.   How to identify a bank impersonation scam1 It’s important to stay vigilant and informed about the different scams to spot warning signs and avoid becoming a victim. Be on the lookout if: There is a sense of urgency or threat to the message – “your bank account has been accessed”, “your bank account has been locked” “a payment has been made from your account. If this was not you, please call (phone number)”. The message looks different to other messages in the SMS thread, such as different wording or phrases used. The message contains a suspicious looking link. Never click on suspicious links. The SMS has a telephone number to call – always find your bank’s phone number independently. The caller tells you to transfer money to a different account to ‘keep it safe’ or for ‘further investigation’. This is not standard procedures for a bank. It is a SCAM.   How to protect yourself from this type of scam: Follow our top tips below to avoid falling a victim and to ensure that your personal information and finances remain secure. A genuine call from your Bank or our fraud department will only ever ask you to confirm the last four digits of the Visa Card affected. Do not trust the information provided by the scammer. Any information provided is likely to be false like their contact number and designed to create an impression of believability. Always know who you are dealing with. Avoid responding to unsolicited and unexpected contact. You have the right to ask the caller questions to assess the legitimacy of the call. Hang up if you are uncomfortable with the caller. Do not provide your banking details to anyone over the phone. We will NEVER ask for your contact details over SMS or email. If possible, collect the caller’s name, phone number and their position and then call us on 1300 36 2000 immediately. Again, never click on URL links or open attachments in suspicious emails or SMS. Just because your name is in the SMS or email, it does not mean it is contact from the Bank. Always double-check directly with us, your Bank. Always go to our Internet Banking directly, do not use the links provided on the messages.   Here are some additional tips from Scamwatch to help protect yourself from the scams1: Stop – take your time before giving money or personal information. Think – ask yourself if the message or call could be fake? Protect – act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact us on 1300 36 2000 and report scams to Scamwatch. We take the security of our Members very seriously. If you're worried or you’ve noticed a suspicious transaction, call us immediately on 1300 36 2000. To know more about types of scams, click here.

There are several reasons why using strong passwords to protect your money is crucial. With the rise of cybercriminals over the last few years, providing an extra layer of security is essential to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive financial information. Strong passwords are more difficult for hackers to guess or crack, making it more difficult for them to access your account. A strong password should contain a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters and be at least 8 characters long. It should also be unique and not easily guessable by others. Remember to never provide your online banking password or SMS verification codes to anyone. If in doubt, hang up or delete the message and call us on 1300 36 2000. If a weak password is used, it can be easily cracked by automated password guessing tools or by hackers who use social engineering tactics to guess or obtain passwords. This can lead to unauthorized access to your bank account, allowing hackers to steal your money or personal information. Therefore, using strong passwords is an essential step in protecting your financial security and keeping your sensitive information safe.

We are urging our Members to be wary of messages impersonating Linkt (QLD Toll Road Provider) requesting your card details to make a payment or update your details by clicking a link, most often contact is made through SMS and WhatsApp. These are phishing scams designed to steal your credit card details and then used to set up a digital wallet, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay operated by a scammer. To protect yourself from these scams, please follow the advices from ACCC. Do not click on any links in unexpected messages. Even if you expect a message, it is best to access the information directly from a website or a source you have found independently. Pay attention to typos or grammatical mistakes in the text message. Delete the message and do not respond. If you think you have an unpaid bill, contact the company separately through their legitimate channels. Do not reply to the message. Delete and block the number. If you are concerned about the security of your account or believe you have been scammed, contact us immediately on 1300 36 2000.

With the increase in cyber crimes, we urge you to be on the look out for scams and take steps to secure your personal information. Practical steps you can take to protect your personal information include: Regularly monitoring your account activity and reporting any unauthorised activity to us as soon as possible Change your online banking and email passwords or other passwords on websites or apps that payments are made from If in doubt, request a copy of your credit report or set up alerts to alert you to any accounts or loans being taken out in your name Never provide your personal details to anyone who contacts you by phone Take care when responding to emails and SMS, even if it seems genuine Call us immediately on 1300 36 2000 if you have noticed any suspicious transactions or if you have any concerns For more detailed information about protecting yourself from scams, visit the Scamwatch website.

We are aware of the Optus data breach involving the loss of Optus customer data. Our systems have not been compromised as a result of the Optus data breach. Our real-time monitoring of your accounts helps detect and protect you from unauthorised activity. Unity Bank Protection Keeping your account and personal information safe remains our priority. Member information is constantly monitored for data-breaches, including the recent Optus breach. We have also implemented additional verification and transaction monitoring processes to protect our members accounts. Protecting your own personal information Always remain vigilant against phishing and other scam communications that may lure you into clicking on links and attachments or sharing your personal information. Setting a strong, unique password and changing it regularly is key to keeping your accounts safe. Enable multi-factor authentication for all online services, including online banking. Using PayID to send money allows you to see details about who you are paying, before you pay them, helping protect you from scams. Questions to ask & things to look out for Do you know the sender, and do you usually receive SMS messages from the sender? Beware, scammers can mimic the phone numbers of legitimate organizations. Does the message seem generic or does it contain errors and grammatical mistakes? SMS Phishing, or ‘Smishing’ messages, play on your emotions by creating a sense of urgency, followed by a link to click. For example, ‘Your account is temporarily frozen, please login immediately to lift the restriction’. If you’re concerned your ID may have already been compromised, IDCARE is an independent organisation that provides free support to individuals impacted by fraud or scams. IDCARE have released a Response Fact Sheet relating to the Optus Data Breach. For more information on protecting your data please visit Money Smart. If you're worried or you’ve noticed a suspicious transaction, call us immediately on 1300 36 2000.