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Digital wallets have become an increasingly popular way to store and manage money, but they are not immune to scams. The past year has seen an influx in Digital Wallet scams where scammers take advantage of innocent individuals via SMS or email, potentially providing access to your device. This allows scammers to create Digital Wallets using other people's information, resulting in many individuals' financial losses. Types of digital wallet scams to look out for: Phishing scams: Scammers can send fake emails or text messages that appear to be from a legitimate digital wallet provider, asking you to click on a link to update your account information. This link takes you to a fake website designed to steal your login credentials. Fake Wallet apps: Scammers can create fake digital wallet apps and publish them on app stores. These apps may look like legitimate digital wallets, but they are designed to steal your money or personal information. Trade or Cryptocurrency investment scams: Scammers may ask you to invest in a new digital currency or a new blockchain project through your digital wallet. These scams often promise high returns, but they are just a way to steal your money. Accidental payment: Scammers may send you an SMS saying they accidentally sent you money and asking you to return the funds. You can see the money in your wallet, but if you return the money, the funds will be transferred out of your funds. Customer Support scams: Scammers may pose as company personnel and send you links to lure you to a compromised site to provide your digital wallet information. Friend or family member scam: If you suddenly receive a message from a friend or family from a different number, saying they need money in a hurry, this may be a fraudster. Fraudsters use a sense of urgency, expecting you to act on the request without calling to confirm. How to protect yourself from digital wallet scams: Make sure only to download digital wallet apps from trusted app stores. Never click on links in emails or text messages from unknown sources. Enable two-factor authentication on your digital wallet account, such as a password/pin and a fingerprint scanner, to ensure more robust security. Regularly updating your digital wallet software can help prevent security breaches and protect your funds. Be cautious of investment opportunities that seem too good to be true. Before sending money to someone you supposedly know, call them to confirm. If you receive a suspicious phone call, SMS or email and have been pressured into providing important information, call us immediately on 1300 36 2000.

We're urging our Members to look out for the new SCAM texts impersonating Australian banks, saying you’ve made an OSKO payment to a new payee and asking you to click a link to cancel the payment. If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Unity Bank, please check the link and URL very carefully before responding and clicking on any link. If you’re unsure, do not click on any link and give us a call on 1300 36 2000.

We all know if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. But that doesn’t stop plenty of Australians losing money to investment scams. In fact, disturbing figures show that more Australians lose money to investment scams than any other type. An investment scam involves an investment opportunity, which usually promises high yields or guaranteed returns in a short space of time. Often, you’ll be contacted about the bogus opportunity out of the blue, and it could appear to come from a legitimate source, like a bank, a broker, or a financial advisor. The opportunity could be delivered via a range of means - through an email, phone call, social media ad, or in less common cases, in person - and the scammers usually use high pressure tactics or offer a short window of opportunity to invest. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch website, Australians lost more than $82 million to investment scams in March 2022 alone. Leanne Vale, Director Financial Crimes and Cyber Resilience for Customer Owned Banking Association says, "If you're presented with an investment opportunity that seems like an incredible deal, before you make any decisions, pause, and ask yourself if it actually does fall into the ‘too good to be true’ basket." "It’s the same as if you saw a $100,000 caravan advertised somewhere for $10,000. Chances are, you’re going to send your money to a scammer and you’re going to lose it," she says. Like with most scams, the scammers are using more and more sophisticated tools to dupe people into investing, and just because something looks legitimate at face value, does not necessarily mean it is. "They're getting harder to spot, so before investing in anything, always seek independent advice and do your due diligence," says Leanne. If you have access to a financial advisor who is registered with ASIC, you can reach out to them for advice. You can also do your own independent research on who the investment is coming from. For example, if the investment opportunity purports to come from a bank or legitimate and highly regarded company, reach out to that entity separately through their official channels. Find the contact details yourself, don’t just use the phone number or email address given to you by the person offering the investment opportunity. ASIC also has a list of companies you should not deal with. If you suspect you may have provided your details to a scammer or have already sent money, contact your bank or financial institution immediately to see if any transactions can be reversed, and don't make any further payments unless you have confirmed the investment is not a scam. It is also a good idea to change your banking passwords for extra security. No matter whether there is a legitimate problem or not, Leanne says a telco or utility company will never ask for access to your device. And if there is an issue and a company does reach out to you, they would never hold it against you for doing your own due diligence and calling them back independently.

Business scams have been around for a long time. However, in the last financial year, cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, with cyber activity increasing in frequency and scale. The top 3 scams impacting businesses right now are invoice scams, email-based scams and tax scams. At Unity Bank, we are committed to helping you keep your business secure. Here’s what you need to know about the most common business scams and how to identify them. Invoice scams Invoice scams are one of the biggest threats to businesses right now. This type of scam involves targeting businesses by emailing you an invoice with the contact and billing details replaced with the scammer’s details. Scammers can also pretend to be one of your employees and send through a request to change their bank account details for their salary. Email-based scams Also known as a 'business email compromise' or 'email hack', scammers can take over your email account, producing fake invoices, requesting updates to bank account details, and altering payment details. Tax scams Tax scams are common and can happen to businesses of all sizes. You may be contacted by a scammer claiming you're owed a tax refund, requesting to provide your details to release the funds. A scammer may also claim you have an outstanding tax debt that urgently needs to be paid to avoid being arrested. If you’re concerned about business scams, call us immediately on 1300 36 2000.

With the popularity of online shopping and home delivery, many Australians have started receiving scam messages regarding missed calls, voicemails, or unexplained notices of deliveries. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) are receiving thousands of reports daily about these scams which originated overseas earlier this year. The messages ask you to do things like tap on to a link to download an app to track or organise a time for a delivery or respond to a voicemail message. These messages are fake, there are no delivery or no voicemail. The app is actually malicious and will install malware called Flubot. Android phones and iPhones can both receive texts from the Flubot. If you have clicked on a ‘Flubot’ message link and/or have accidentally installed the Flubot app, the ACCC recommends you do a factory reset on your device to remove the malware. You should also contact an IT professional or download official antivirus software.   If you believe someone may have compromised your device or personal information, please contact us on 1300 36 2000. For more information on the Flubot scam we recommend you visit the ACCC Scamwatch website.

Cybercriminals are once again working hard to take advantage of the COVID-19 situation through new phishing campaigns. Most recently, a wide range of political and private-sector organisations in Australia have come under cyber-attack by a “sophisticated state-based cyber actor”. This phishing tactic is called spear phishing. What is spear phishing? Spear phishing is a personalised and more targeted form of phishing, carefully designed to pursue businesses or individuals to obtain confidential information for fraudulent purposes. These emails are carefully designed and tailored to each recipient, so when it appears in the user’s inbox, it seems to be from a legitimate and trustworthy source. Some attackers will go as far as researching individuals they are targeting, so the email communication looks genuine at first glance. Traditional security often does not stop these attacks because they are so cleverly personalised. As a result, they are becoming more difficult to detect. What you need to look out for? Emails with links to files or attachments Slight spelling errors. For example, the letter “o” might be replaced with the number “0” A sense of urgency in the email to change passwords or update personal information Uncommon words and terminology not usually used by the supposed sender. What you can do to protect yourself against spear phishing Check the sender email address first and foremost. Do not simply  trust the displayed names and carefully look at the email address it is sent from Do not click links/attachments from people you do not know and if you are unsure, contact the person directly to see if it is a legitimate email Use caution, particularly if an email ever asks for personal information Update your software. Updates usually include the latest patches for viruses and other malware Educate yourself and others into cybersecurity awareness. Living in the digital age and moving into the future, it is important that we know the risks that come with advances in digital technology. Our staff receive constant training and updates on the most recent cyber-attacks to protect our organisation from being penetrated by malicious malware. We have also introduced additional authentication measures to further protect us from being a target of these attacks.  The protection of our Members and their personal information is always our first priority. If you think you may have entered your credit card, account details or any personal information into a phishing site, please contact us immediately on 1300 36 2000.