Association supports Fraud Awareness Campaign

Media Release – 6 March 2007

New Zealand Bankers’ Association supports Fraud Awareness Campaign

The New Zealand Bankers’ Association welcomes the government’s Fraud Awareness initiative aimed at raising public awareness of scams, which target consumers.

The Association urges bank customers to follow the advice they are regularly given by their bank to protect their account, password and PIN details. If customers are banking online, to keep their identity and money safe it is important to ensure that their anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software is up-to-date.

Customers should also remember the golden rule: banks and persons in authority, such as the Police, never request customers to give them their password or PIN information.

Banks work hard to protect customer information, but customers too must share the responsibility for protecting their money and identity.

The Internet and Internet banking are here to stay, and if we all work together we can minimise the risk for fraud.

Of course, fraud is wider than the Internet. Customers should also take care of their chequebook (and the way they write cheques), credit cards, bank statements and other personal documents.

Importantly if customers suspect that their personal information is in the wrong hands or they have been taken in by a financial scam, they should report it immediately to their bank.

Customers should refer to their own bank’s website or branches for tips on how better to protect their money and account information, and the security measures that may be available.

ENDS

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