On-Line Banking Security
More and more people are using the internet to do their banking and pay bills.
It’s convenient, usually cheaper than doing it in person and more environmentally friendly.
However, there are people who try to find the holes in the security measures and internet habits of people banking or transacting online. They try to trick you into revealing personal details and account details so they can steal information, money and property.
If you make sure your computer and use of the internet is as secure as possible, then you are a long way to transacting safely online.
When banking on the internet it is recommended that you follow these steps:
- Apply for Internet Banking SMS Secure to have the reassurance that funds in your Wide Bay Australia account are not being transferred to a new third party payee without your knowledge.
- Always access our website by typing the address into the browser or keeping the address in your ‘favourites’ or ‘bookmark’ folder to reduce the risk of mistakes or deception. In particular beware of Bogus Websites and Email Phishing.
- Keep your computer up-to-date with anti-virus, firewall software and the latest patches. Anti-virus software is used to detect and eliminate computer viruses and other malicious software such as worms and Trojans. Any computer connected to the Internet faces the risk of virus infection, so it makes sense to secure your computer adequately with antivirus software. New viruses appear every day, so in order for your antivirus software to be effective, these definitions need to be updated regularly. Most antivirus software comes with 12 months of free updates, but you’ll usually have to purchase additional annual subscriptions after that. You will also need to keep your operating system up to date e.g. Microsoft Windows, Unix or Macintosh, this can usually be done via their official website. No software can guarantee 100 percent protection — viruses are constantly evolving and can spread between PC’s rapidly. Antivirus software is only effective if it’s up-to-date, so it’s vital that you subscribe to regular updates and ensure that it is continuously updated. Some anti virus and other software providers do supply updates online, these are called security patches. The Internet Association of Australia provides links to various internet security programs and vendors.
- Avoid using passwords or PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) that are relevant to your personal situation. Passwords with telephone numbers, postcodes, your name, or the name of a close relative and dates of birth are simple for criminals to trace. Create passwords with letters and numbers that cannot be easily attributable to you.
- Always memorise your password or PIN and do not write it down or store it on your computer. You are responsible for keeping this information confidential.
- Change your password regularly and don't use the same password for other services such as your video store.
- Confirm that your data is encrypted between your computer and Wide Bay Australia by looking for the padlock symbol on the bottom right hand corner of the browser window.
- Always log out from the Internet banking menu when you finish all your banking.
- Close your Internet browser after logging out at the end of each Internet banking session.
- Beware of any windows that ‘pop up’ during an Internet banking session and be very suspicious if it directs you to another website which then requests your customer identification or password.
Find out more about the security of Wide Bay Australia’s smartlink Internet Banking
You should also ensure you have read and understood the Terms & Conditions (PDF, 359KB) and risks/safeguards in Product Features for non-cash payment facilities (PDF, 145KB) relating to the use of smartlink Internet Banking and other Wide Bay Australia banking services that may be available on-line.
Visit Card Services Direct for details of Card Services Direct Internet Banking Terms and Conditions and security policies. Other on-line applications provided by arrangement with our product partners and financial service providers may provide separate terms and conditions and security information.
More information about steps you should take to protect yourself on-line can be found at Stay Smart Online.
