Be Scam Aware

Keep your money and personal details safe from scammers!

Advancements in technology have made it easier than ever to connect with others, shop online, and even manage our finances without having to set foot in a bank. But this increase in digital activity has also given rise to a new form of criminal: scammers. Keeping yourself up-to-date with the latest scam tactics and learning how to identify suspicious activity is the best way to keep you and your money safe.

We're here to keep you safe

What is a Scam?

A scam is a dishonest scheme designed to obtain money or goods by obtaining passwords, personal details, and bank account or credit card information. Many scams are designed to make you feel a sense of urgency so you act without taking time to think clearly.

To keep you and your finances secure, WTB and Vigil will watch for any suspicious transactions and contact you accordingly.

Learn more about Vigil here.

We will:

We will not:

Common Types of Scams

Phishing Scams

A phishing scam seeks to obtain your personal information in order to gain access to your online accounts. The scammer may impersonate your bank, a well-known brand, a social network, or even a friend or family member.

Phishing scams operate on urgency, often claiming that there is an error with your account or service that needs immediate attention to avoid cancellation, suspension or additional charges.

Signs to look out for in a phishing scam:

Click on a link (sends you to a fraudulent website)
Download a file or application (often contains a virus)
Provide bank details or verification codes in order to issue a ‘refund’
Update log-in details such as passwords or personal information
Make a payment to avoid disruption to your services (the money deposits into their account)

Credit Card Scams

Credit card scams are one of the most common forms of financial scams and can involve everything from a misplaced physical card to obtaining PIN access. Card numbers can be stolen as a result of phishing scams, from websites with little or no security, or skimmed at ATMs.

Signs of a credit card scam:

Urgent requests for a credit card payment to be made by phone, text or email. Often the scammer claims to be a friend or relative needing immediate help
Requests to ‘verify’ your card details
Unusual or unexpected transitions on your bank statement

Credit card fraud may not readily be detectable if scammers make regular, small purchases with your card details instead of large, lump sums. This is why it’s important to thoroughly review bank statements and investigate any unexplained charges.

Loan Scams

Loan scammers contact potential victims via email or SMS notifying them that they have been approved for a loan. Loan scams typically offer terms and interest rates that are too good to be true, or have a sense of urgency attached such as a soon-to-expire offer.

Signs of a loan scam:

Guaranteed loan approval with no credit check
Requests for upfront payments to cover insurance or tax before they will release your “funds”
Immediate request for bank account details
Lenders without a website or an email address that does not match the business name

Scammer Red Flags: How to identify suspicious activity

Recently, scams are becoming more elaborate and it may not be immediately evident you are being targeted by a scammer when they first make contact with you. Not all scammers utilise email; they could contact you via phone, SMS, social media or even make a knock on your front door.

To help keep you on your guard, think before you click or reply to any messages if you notice any of the following scammer red flags.

Urgent Scenarios

Scammers rely on fear and panic to bypass your defences. Phrases like ‘cancelled service’, ‘debt recovery’, and ‘legal action’ can scare you into acting quickly. You might be directed to click on a link and verify login details, personal information, or even to make a payment.

Unexpected contact

Often, phishing scams start with contact from an unknown number claiming to be a friend or relative experiencing trouble. They might ask you to transfer money to a bank account number they provide or insist you provide credit card details to help them out.

Upfront fees

Being directed to pay a fee prior to release of any winnings, inheritance, services (such as fixing a virus on your computer) or parcel delivery can be a strong indication of disingenuous contact and an attempt to obtain credit card details or personal information.

Unfamiliar email addresses

Hoax emails can very closely mimic legitimate correspondence from your bank, service provider, or social media accounts. Often, these emails are riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, but sometimes the only indication of suspicious contact is the email address. Be on the lookout for strange email addresses that do not match the business name they claim to be, are riddled with numbers and random letters, or come from free providers such as Gmail, Hotmail or Outlook.

Encourage clicks on suspicious links

Scammers posing as other businesses will often encourage you to click on a link provided via text or email to ‘log in’ or confirm certain details pertaining to your account. If the URL is unrelated to the company’s webpage, it is likely unsafe and could leave you vulnerable to scammers or software viruses.

We will never ask for your account information, passwords or direct you to log in to your account from a link sent via SMS or email.

What to do if you've been scammed?

If you suspect you've been targeted by a scammer, contact us.

Protect Yourself from Scams

The best way to protect yourself from scams is to be aware of the signs and approach any unexpected or unknown contact with caution.

Think before you click

Even if the email or SMS looks to be from a reputable business, make sure to stop and think before clicking on any links, especially if you have not previously had contact with the business, or the correspondence is unexpected and urgent in nature
Before doing anything, click on the sender’s name to see their email address. Look for email addresses that don’t look right and check the email for spelling and grammatical errors. Professional companies invest in quality communications.

Verify the source

If a friend or family member has reached out to you claiming to be in trouble, verify the situation before transferring any money. If they are contacting you from an unknown number, call their previously known number or utilise alternate contact such as social media to confirm it’s not a scammer.
If you’ve received a suspicious email, SMS, or phone call from a business, bank or service provider, double check the sender’s contact information or call location. Try searching online for similar scenarios to verify the legitimacy of the contact as many people share their experiences of being scammed making it easily accessible to find. You can also ring the company directly from the phone number you see online (not what’s provided in the scam message) to ask them to verify they sent you the message.

Never share passwords or personal information

Never share passwords, login details, bank account details, credit card information, security codes or PINs via email, SMS or during incoming calls from unknown contacts
Passwords should be updated regularly, be unique to each login or account and contain phrases, numbers and symbols.

Secure your digital devices

Avoid using public WiFi to access your bank or other personal information as the connection may not be secure.
When shopping online, make sure the website has a secure connection before inputting any payment information. Security credentials are indicated by a https:// URL and a padlock icon in your internet browser address bar.
Keep your devices secure with password or biometric access, and ensure you are covered by up-to-date antivirus software.

Ask yourself, is it really from Woolworths Team Bank?

Remember

We will never send you an email or SMS asking for bank information like your Member Number, Internet banking password, an SMS one time password (OTP), or include a link to login directly from an email or SMS.
If you’re ever unsure whether an email or message is legitimately from Woolworths Team Bank, contact us via phone or email, or visit us in branch so we can assist you.
Always navigate directly to Internet Banking yourself via the website, rather than using any links sent via SMS or email.
Report suspicious emails or texts to scam@woolworthsteambank.com.au then delete them straight after. do not reply or engage with them.

Not all lost funds can be recovered.

Transfers authorised by yourself can't always be recovered, especially if they have been sent overseas. If you have unexplained withdrawals, contact our team today.