Being a victim of identity theft can leave your credit history in tatters and take years to resolve.

Take these steps to help minimise the chances of this happening to you:

  • Be cautious about requests for personal information either over the internet, phone or in person
  • Carry as little personal information as possible in case of loss or theft
  • Place a padlock on your letterbox to guard against theft
  • Carefully dispose of any correspondence that contains personal information, including statements, bills, registration papers and licence renewals
  • Secure your computer and mobile devices using security software and strong passwords
  • Keep up to date with the latest and common scams by following www.scamwatch.gov.au
  • Keep a list of items carried in your wallet to allow you to quickly notify the police or relevant institutions if your wallet is stolen
  • If you haven’t received regular or expected mail, check with the post office to make sure that your mail hasn’t been redirected
  • Investigate any unsolicited mail including any bills or cards you didn’t ask for
  • Limit the amount of personal information you post on social media sites as well as ensuring your privacy settings are maintained

 

If you think someone has stolen your identity, or your personal information has been compromised, you should follow the following steps to minimise any financial or other damages:

  • Report the matter to police immediately, including obtaining a copy of the police report, or a reference number to quote organisations or businesses that you may need to discuss your stolen identity with. Police may also ask you to report the matter via Australian Cyber Crime Reporting Network (ACORN). ACORN isn’t an investigative service , but a referral and reporting service for Police. If further action is required from an ACORN report it would be referred to the relevant law enforcement agency who may contact you
  • Contact People's Choice immediately on 13 11 82
  • Report the loss or theft of identity credentials to any organisation that may be affected
  • Request a copy of your credit report to determine to determine if any unauthorised credit applications have been made using your stolen details
  • Immediately change all passwords on your accounts and close all unauthorised, fraudulent or breached accounts
  • If you fail to promptly report any security breaches on your Account, you may increase your liability for any unauthorised transactions. 

FAQs

  • I've received a phone call or an email that asks for my personal details, what should I do?

    People's Choice will never call or email you to ask for confirmation of your password, PIN or account details. We will never send an email containing a link to our Internet Banking page or request that you verify your account status.

    Be wary of any phone calls of this nature and emails with links from unknown senders, and delete any unsolicited emails immediately, without responding.

    In some instances, you may also receive an SMS from +61 489 988 024 or +61 437 126 492. If you have been contacted or are concerned about your privacy, please call us directly on 13 11 82 or visit a branch. Please be aware, we will never send you an SMS containing links, and we will never ask for sensitive information via SMS, such as an access code, OTP or Internet Banking password.

    If you believe your details may have been compromised by a phishing phone call or phishing email, contact us as soon as possible.

  • Why would I be asked to confirm personal details and is this safe?

    Each time you make an online purchase, Visa Secure assesses the risk level of the transaction – certain activity may seem out of the ordinary, maybe because it’s a high dollar value, or a retailer you’ve never bought with before. If People’s Choice is concerned a transaction may be fraudulent, you will be prompted to confirm your identity, and you will be requested to enter some personal details unique to your account with us. This information is used only to verify your identity, and is not stored by Visa Secure, nor is it passed to anyone including the online merchant.

  • What should I do if I think my passwords have been compromised?

    You should reset your password as soon as possible by calling 13 11 82 or visiting any branch. For security reasons our Contact Centre will do an identity check before releasing your new password.

  • What do I do if my card Is lost or stolen?

    If your card is lost or stolen during business hours, call us on 13 11 82 or visit your nearest branch as soon as possible. We can cancel your current card and arrange for a new card to be mailed to you.

    Outside of business hours, call the Visa 24 hour hotline on 1800 648 027. You'll then need to contact us to arrange for a new card to be sent.

    If you're overseas when you lose your card, please contact us on +61 2 8299 9101. If you need to arrange for an emergency Visa card to be issued to you, visit the Visa website to find the contact details for each country.

    There may be a fee for ordering a replacement card. Refer to our Disclosure documents for more details.

  • What if I lose my mobile phone, is my information secure?

    Yes. When you finish banking through People's Choice Mobile Banking you can logout by tapping on the logout icon in the top right hand corner of the screen and therefore exit the system. None of the information accessed through Mobile Banking will be saved on your mobile phone. Do not save your Internet Banking password on your mobile browser in case of loss or theft on your mobile phone.

    If you press the Home button when logged into the app your session will remain active for 90 seconds.

Additional resources

Additional information and support in relation to Identity theft can be found at the following sites:

www.idcare.org
www.oaic.gov.au/individuals/data-breach-guidance/what-to-do-after-a-data-breach-notification

Keeping your banking safe

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