Text message scams (Smishing)

Text messages (SMS) are sometimes used by fraudsters to get you to give them your personal or security details. The fraudulent text message may appear within the feed on your phone amongst genuine messages from us.

If we spot a suspicious or unusual transaction on your account, we may send you a text with the transaction details asking you to reply either ‘Y’ or ‘N’ to confirm if the transaction was made by you. This would not give any of your personal or security details away, and is the only thing we would ever ask you to share in a text message.

If you do receive a text message asking you to click on a link to go to a website, provide any of your personal or security details or to call a phone number, this is not something we would ever ask you to do.

Please don’t follow the link or call, but delete the message and give us a call on 03 456 100 100. If we genuinely need to check something with you, we’ll let you know.

• someone you know or a company you’re dealing with sends you a text containing a suspicious link
• a friendly text from a new number asks you to get in touch
• your bank claims that your account has been frozen and requests you call a new number
• the message asks you to click on a link to confirm your security details or call a number – and when you phone, someone asks for your PIN or password
• scammers may call you later acting as the ‘Fraud department’ – they know you have clicked the link on a text, and they use this knowledge to persuade you they are genuine, saying you need to move your money urgently into a safe account.

• don’t reply to texts from people you don’t know
• don’t call any numbers included in text messages
• never click on links in texts, even if they are from friends. Call them first to confirm
• contact your bank directly on the usual number to check any account texts
• don’t immediately assume that the sender is who you think it is.