Christmas and New Year is all about family and friends, and with the popularity of online shopping we now get to dodge the queues at the hottest time of the year.
Whilst you are chasing down great bargains on your mobile device, the fraudsters are watching, and trying to tempt you into scams. To keep your funds and personal information safe at this festive time of year, we have collated some top tips to help you out.
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Keep the software on your mobile device updated. This means you have the latest security patches from your platform provider. Don’t forget about antimalware and firewalls.
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Take care when using free Wi-Fi. Is the provider trustworthy? Is a password required?
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Update your passwords and codes. Use a unique code for each account. Avoid selecting one that has repeated characters or numbers, or one that represents part of your name, address, date of birth or any other obvious piece of personal information that other people can easily guess.
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Take care with what you share on social media, and update your privacy settings.
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Use Online Banking to review your account transactions, and contact NICU if you identify any unauthorised transactions. There is also an after hours service that can assist you. Call 6763 5111 and listen to the prompts to be connected to after hours assistance.
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Check any emails you receive about online purchases. To verify the status of your order, check directly with the merchant. Only open emails from senders you know. Don’t click on links from emails, or open documents, from unknown senders.
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Only shop with reliable merchants. Look at the website carefully. Beware of free trials, and read the fine print.
