FSCU Security

Our Commitment to your Security and Privacy

We take the protection and security of your information, transaction data and privacy seriously and have security measures to help protect your personal information and transactions. We are well protected with advance security measures, encryption software, firewalls and automatic timeouts. So, when you do your banking online with us, you can be assured that your banking is safeguarded and protected. However we must all remain vigilant, so a joint effort is the best defence against potential attempts at identity theft and fraud.

Our communication with you

We will never 

• Ask for your password or account details to be disclosed via a link within an email message. If you receive an email of this nature, please disregard the email, delete it from your computer and contact us immediately.

• Ask you to disclose your personal banking details, PIN, card number, or any other information on your card in an unsolicited email, SMS, or telephone call.
• Ask you to help us catch cyber criminals or assist with investigations.
• Ask you to move money to a “safe” account, or to an account with another bank.

If you are asked to do any of these, you should be suspicious. Hang up and call us on 8227 2222.

How you can keep protect yourself

Password Security

Safeguarding your online presence and personal information is vital. Creating strong, unique passwords and updating them regularly is an essential step in securing your online defences.

Secure Browsing

Look out for the padlock icon and ‘https’ in your browsers address bar, which are both indicators of a secure connection. It means you can navigate, manage, and monitor your finances with confidence, knowing your information is safer. Validate that you are accessing the official Fire Service Credit Union website by closely inspecting the URL. 

This is the correct site: https://www.fscu.com.au

Mobile Security

Secure your smartphone and protect your information on the go by keeping your operating system and apps updated to ensure you have the latest security features. It can also be a good idea to consider biometric security features like fingerprint or face recognition, and enable features that allow you to locate, lock, or wipe your device remotely if lost or stolen. 

Update your contact details

Keep your contact details up to date so that we can easily contact you if your account is compromised.

Regularly check your accounts

Check your accounts for any suspicious transactions and contact us if you see anything unusual.

Be careful of what you share online and on social media

Think before you post photos, personal information and financial information about you, your friends or your family. Regularly check your privacy settings and register for two factor authentication to help keep your social media and email accounts secure.

Protecting yourself against fraud and scams

• Never click on a hyperlink in an email or text to log in to Internet Banking or share your financial details. Always start by typing fscu.com.au into your browser when you log in.
• Never tell anyone your banking access code, PIN or one-time passwords, including us.
• Never give anyone access to your computer remotely – especially if they’ve contacted you unexpectedly.
• Never reply to an email or SMS asking for personal information, imposter scams are often difficult to detect. Don’t click on unverified or suspicious links in unsolicited emails or text messages. If you are unsure whether you are dealing with the legitimate business, contact the business by using the publicly listed phone number.
• Check online sellers carefully, especially if they’ve only been around for a short time. Beware of sellers who ask for an unusual payment method, such as a direct funds transfer, money order, pre-loaded card, or wire transfer. 
• Beware of investments offering very high returns, along with high-pressure sellers. Check they have an Australian financial services licence (AFSL) and contact the organisation directly to make sure your contact is really who they say they are.
• Beware of new friends or romantic partners who seem to develop strong feelings fast, then ask for money or gifts.
• Regularly visit scamwatch.gov.au to learn about the latest scams.

Card security

Protect your Card

• Sign your card when you receive it and don’t leave it lying around, lend it to family or friends and when you are paying don’t let the people you are paying take your card out of sight.
• Don’t make your PIN too easy to guess, like your date of birth, you can change your PIN regularly for added security. 
• Never write your PIN anywhere or tell anyone what your PIN is. 
• Always keep check of your balances and let us know of any discrepancies asap.
• If your card is lost or stolen, or you notice a suspicious transaction let us know straight away.

ATM

• Be aware of your surroundings and cover the keypad as you enter your PIN at an ATM, so the surveillance camera and other people cannot see what you enter. 
• Be cautious if a stranger offers to help if you are having trouble with your card
• Report suspicious behaviour to the police, the ATM owner and FSCU asap

Visa and Eftpos Secure

Visa Secure and Eftpos Secure are 3D secure fraud prevention measures designed to add an additional layer of security to your online shopping to protect against fraudulent card use. In certain instances, you may be requested to validate your identity by confirming your purchase with a one-time passcode (OTP) sent to your registered mobile device. Entering this password will confirm your identity and your transaction will be approved. 

Travelling overseas

If you are going overseas Contact us so we don’t flag your international transactions as suspicious

Lost or Stolen Card

If your card is lost or stolen but you don’t need to report a fraudulent transaction, you can block or cancel your card online or by calling us on 08 8227 2222. 

Stay Informed

Scams succeed because they look like the real thing and catch you off guard when you’re not expecting it. Scammers take advantage of new technology, new products or services and major events to create believable stories that convince you to give them your money or personal details. 

Always stop, think and check before you act. Scammers rely on you not spotting these warning signs because you’re in a hurry, something looks like a great deal you don’t want to miss, or because it seems like it’s from someone you trust.

Read about the some of the latest scams we all need to be aware of:

Phishing 

Phishing is a way cyber criminals trick you into giving them personal information. They send you fraudulent emails or text messages often pretending to be from large organisations you know or trust. They may try to steal your online banking logins, card details or passwords. Phishing can result in the loss of information, money or identity theft.  

Identity Theft

Identity theft is where someone gains enough of your personal information to steal your identity for personal or financial gain. With enough personal information scammers may be able to access your bank accounts, apply for loans in your name, take out phone plans or other contracts, buy goods in your name, access other private or sensitive information or even impersonate you to trick your family or friends.

Romance Scams

A dating, friendship or romance scams is where scammers gain your trust by pretending to have strong feelings for you and then asking you for money, your personal details or to transport items for them. Scammers will find you on social media, dating or gaming apps and websites. They might also text or email you. They hide behind fake profiles and identities, sometimes of famous people. They’re really good at making you feel special, so you believe the relationship is real.

Investment Scams

Scammers use convincing marketing and new technology to make their investment sound too good to miss. They promise you big payouts with little or no risk. They often use pressure tactics to get you to act fast, so they can steal your money.

Website Scams

Scammers create fake websites to look like well-known brands. They impersonate famous people and make it look like they recommend the product or service. They use fake reviews to make you trust them. Advertising banners or pop-up windows that contain fake warnings or error messages can pressure you into acting. 

Social Media Scams

Scammers set up fake profiles on social media,  messaging platforms and apps. They pretend to be from the government, a real business, employer, investment firm, or even a friend, family member or romantic interest.

They may:

• use the same logo of the real organisation or photo of the person they are pretending to be to make the scam harder to spot.
• impersonate famous people to ‘recommend’ goods or services
• create fake identities to befriend you and win your trust.

Scammers can also learn a lot about you from details you share on your social media accounts. They create quizzes or posts designed to deceive you into sharing personal information. They use this information to guess your account passwords or target you with other scams.

Email Scams

Scammers send ‘urgent’ emails pretending to be from the government, law enforcement and businesses.

They use the same logo and a similar email address as the real organisation. Scammers can also copy or “spoof” the email address of an organisation or business to make the scam email look more real.

Warning signs:

• Contains a link or attachment that asks you to log on to an online service with your username and password or to provide other personal information
• Requests a payment but the bank account and BSB details are new or have changed since the last payment you made
• Claims to be from a well-known organisation or government agency but is sent from a free webmail address (for example @gmail.com, @yahoo.com.au)

Text or SMS Scams

Scam messages sound urgent to get you to act quickly. They often have a link which will take you to a scam website. Scammers can steal any personal information entered on these scam websites and use it to take your money or commit fraud in your name.

To make these message look real, scammers spoof (copy) the phone number and sender ID of businesses or people you know. Scam messages can even appear in the same message chain as real messages from the organisation, making them even harder to spot.

There’s a good chance it’s a scam if the message asks you to:

• take immediate action 
• make a payment or transfer money
• click on a link or call a number provided in the message
• log on to an online account with your username and password or to provide other personal information

Reporting a fraud, scam or dispute

It can be difficult to know exactly what to do when you think you’ve been involved in a fraud, scam or a transaction dispute with a merchant. The following describes what a dispute, fraud and scam are and what to do.

Dispute

A disputed transaction is when you recognise the transaction, but may have an issue with the product/service received, e.g., goods or services not as described, defective or not received. 

If you come across any transactions that you don’t recognise, a little investigation can be the simplest way to resolve or determine your next steps.

• If you have an additional card holder, check if they’ve completed the transaction.
• Look up additional merchant details including their contact details, website and location information by tapping the transaction in the FSCU App.
• If you’re familiar with the merchant, please contact them directly to resolve the matter.
• If you’re unfamiliar with the merchant, a quick Google search could help identify the merchant as many businesses trade under different name(s).

If you were unable to reach an outcome with the merchant or still don’t recognise the transaction call us on 08 8227 2222

Fraud

A fraudulent transaction is when you have not actively participated in the transaction, e.g., your details were compromised without your knowledge, leading to unauthorised transactions on your accounts.

An unrecognised transaction could be due to fraudulent activity on your account(s). If you believe your security has been compromised, call us immediately on 08 8227 2222

Scam

A scam transaction is when you participate in the activity, but were misled on the purpose, e.g., sharing a Security Code for Online Banking, purchasing an item online that never existed or investing in an opportunity that turned out to be fake.

If you are worried someone’s has or is trying to scam you call us immediately on 08 8227 2222

• If you’ve seen a suspicious website and you think it might be an investment scam, find out how to report an investment scam by following the link.
• If you are unsure of the nature of the scam, please report it to scamwatch.gov.au.
• Reporting a scam will help to warn others and stop the scam.

Our Guarantee to you

In the unlikely event that an unauthorised transaction does occur on your account, we guarantee that you will not be liable for any unauthorised transaction carried out, provided you meet your obligations under our Conditions of Use, the ASIC ePayments Code of Conduct and you haven’t contributed to the loss.

It’s all part of our commitment to you, our members.

Useful links for your Security

• ASIC – financial tips, safety checks and the latest scams
• SCAMwatch – helping you to recognise, report and protect yourself
• Stay Smart Online – useful advice on how to protect yourself, your family and your business
• Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network –  The ACORN provides advice on how to recognise and avoid different types of cybercrimes to help you stay safe online

Important Information

This information seeks to raise awareness and provides general information only. It may be necessary or appropriate  to ensure that measures are taken in addition to, or in substitution for, the measures presented having regard to your particular personal or business circumstances.