Tips for protecting yourself online

When using the Internet, including Internet Banking, always try to use hard-to-guess passwords.

Passwords will only keep outsiders out if they are difficult to guess! Don't share your password, and don't use the same password in more than one place. If someone should happen to guess one of your passwords, you don't want them to be able to use it in a number of places.

Remember the five golden rules of passwords.

1. Do not choose a password that is easily identified with you (for example, your date of birth, telephone number or your name or any part of it).
2. A password should have a minimum of eight characters, be as meaningless as possible and use uppercase letters, lowercase letters and numbers eg xk28LP97.
3. Change passwords regularly, at least every 30 days.
4. Do not give out your password to anyone! Be wary of unsolicited calls or emails requesting personal information or card numbers. Neither ANZ nor the police would ask you to disclose PIN’s or password information.
5. Do not write your password down even if it is disguised.

Let us know immediately if you believe your password has become known or used by someone else. Call us on 13 33 50 to have your password reset.

Back to top

What should I do if I receive a hoax email?

1. Delete the email
   If you receive a hoax email, delete the email immediately. Do not click on any links and do not open any attachments in a hoax email. ANZ will not send you an email or SMS asking you to verify or provide your account details, financial details, or login details for ANZ Phone Banking, ANZ Mobile Banking or ANZ Internet Banking. ANZ’s email and SMS policy is set out below.
2. Report the incident
   All hoax email incidents should be reported, call us on 13 33 50 (International +61 3 9683 8833).
3. Scan your computer for viruses
   Many hoax emails contain viruses or Trojan Horses (key logger), which are downloaded to your computer when you open any attachments or select any included links. If you have clicked on any items within the email, run a complete virus check of your computer. ANZ recommends that you perform virus scans on your computer regularly.
4. Reset your Internet Banking password
   After scanning your computer and ensuring it is free of viruses or Trojans, reset your Internet Banking password by calling ANZ’s Internet Banking Helpdesk on 13 33 50 (International +61 3 9683 8833).

Email and SMS policy

ANZ will not send you an email or SMS asking you to verify or provide Account Details, Financial Details, or login details for ANZ Phone Banking, ANZ Internet Banking or ANZ Mobile Banking.

We send emails, and these often contain hyperlinks. However, if we send you an email with a hyperlink, the link will take you to a page on our website, where you can find out more before logging in, applying or downloading.

For more information see Guidelines to Email and SMS Communications (PDF 124kB).

Back to top

Identity theft is where your personal details are obtained to get some sort of financial or other benefit.

You can help protect your identity by following these tips:

• Report any loss or theft of documents such as driver licence, credit card or passport immediately.
• Obtain a copy of your personal credit file from a credit bureau at least every six months to check on the status of your file.
• Keep tax records and other financial documents in a secure place.
• Cancel all unused or dormant accounts that you may have.
• Secure your mailbox with a padlock where possible.
• Respond only to contact numbers and addresses that exist on anz.com.

Find out more about identity fraud and other banking frauds.

Back to top

Is your computer and information protected from viruses? Ensure your virus protection software is always up-to-date.

A computer virus is a program that attaches itself to another program, but changes the action of that program so that the virus is able to spread. Viruses range from harmless pranks that merely show an annoying message, to programs that can destroy or disable a computer altogether.

Anti-virus software is designed to better protect you and your computer against known viruses, worms and Trojan Horses. A Trojan Horse is a malicious program disguised as something harmless, such as a game or a screen saver, but in fact contains hidden code that allows an intruder to take control of your machine without your knowledge.

Being protected includes three things:

1. Having protection on your computer.
2. Checking for new Internet security protection software updates daily.
3. Scanning all the files on your computer periodically including incoming and outgoing emails.

For more effective Internet protection, try using a firewall as a gatekeeper between your computer and the Internet.

A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that filters all Internet traffic between your computer and the outside world. It works to either block or permit Internet traffic to and from your computer. You can use the Firewall to better protect your home or business computer and any personal information it holds from offensive websites, spam and unauthenticated logins from potential hackers.

A Firewall is seen to be essential for those that use their computers online, especially through the use of a cable modem.

For more information see Security software.

Is your computer security up-to-date? You should check your computer security on a regular basis and download the latest security upgrades.

Security is essential in protecting your information on the Internet. To do this, check your software vendors' web sites on a regular basis for new security upgrades, or use the automated patching features that some companies offer. The programs and operating system on your computer may have valuable features that make your life easier, but can also leave you vulnerable to hackers and viruses. You should evaluate your computer security on a regular basis.

Be cautious! Do not open email attachments from unknown sources.

Email is one of the prime movers for malicious viruses. Regardless of how enticing the 'subject' or attachment may look, be cautious. Any unexpected email, especially those with attachments (from someone you may or may not know), could contain a virus and may have been sent without that person's knowledge from an infected computer. Should you receive an email of this kind and you are doubtful of its legitimacy, delete it.

Make sure your family members and/or your employees know what to do if a computer becomes infected.

It's important that everyone who uses a computer is aware of proper security practices. People should know how to update virus protection software, how to download security upgrades from software vendors and how to create a proper password.

Back to top

Ensure you log on to Internet Banking the correct way.

Access ANZ Internet Banking by entering the website address www.anz.com into the address bar. ANZ will not send you an email asking for your account details, financial details, or login details for ANZ Phone Banking, ANZ Mobile Banking or ANZ Internet Banking. For assistance with Internet Banking, contact the ANZ Internet Banking Help Desk on 13 33 50.

Look for the security features such as the website address and the 'padlock' symbol at the bottom of your web browser.

There are three ways that you can generally verify that you are logging in to a secure web page, check that:

One, the website address changes from http:// to https://.

Two the url address bar displays 'Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (AU)' in your browser and this content is shaded green (this may be truncated due to space restrictions).

And three, a 'padlock' symbol appears on your web browser. The 'padlock' symbol indicates that the page you are on has additional security. You can double-click the padlock symbol to view the certificate's details.

You can verify the authenticity of the 'padlock'.

Double click on the 'padlock' symbol and ensure that the certificate:

• is issued to www.anz.com
• is issued by VeriSign
• has a valid start and expiry date.

Authentic certificate example:

If you receive a warning message (for example name mismatch, invalid date, untrusted certifying authority or failed to retrieve revocation list), please terminate the Internet session immediately and contact the ANZ Internet Banking Help Desk on 13 33 50.

Do not leave your computer connected (online) when not in use.

When leaving your computer unattended, you should either shut it down or physically disconnect from the Internet connection. This lessens the chance that someone will be able to access your computer.

When viewing or using your personal information on the Internet, be aware of your environment.

Care should always be taken in unknown areas to prevent any other persons viewing your personal information, including when typing in your passwords or details of account numbers on the Internet. Be cautious when accessing public computers or any computers you do not control.

Using ANZ Internet Banking in public places - staying safe.

• Be wary of your surroundings and ensure no one is observing you when entering in your Customer Registration Number (CRN) or password.
• Ensure that there is a padlock symbol in the bottom right corner of your browser.
• Never click the 'save my password/details' option sometimes offered.
• Never change security details such as your password in a public place (ie libraries, Internet cafes).
• Do not leave your computer unattended or idle for long periods of time.
• Always log out from your Internet banking session when you have finished and close the browser.
• Try to use computers that have anti-virus software installed.

Back to top

Shopping online can be a convenient and easy way to shop, but there are also pitfalls to be aware of. To help you we’ve put together some tips for online shopping:

• Check whether the online store you’re buying from is reputable. To do this you can ask for more information before you use them or check out what other shoppers say on review sites.
• Never email your financial details. Email isn’t a secure way of transmitting financial information like your bank details or credit card numbers.
• If you are making payments through an online stores’ website, look for signs that the website protects your data. You should look for a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL for a website that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure") on the web page where you enter your credit card or other personal information.
• Make sure the computer you use for online shopping has the latest anti-virus software and firewall protection.
• Keep paper copies of all online receipts, this will make it easier to check your account.
• Pay with your ANZ credit card and you will be protected by the ANZ Fraud Money Back Guarantee.This means that if you suffer a loss as a result of a fraudulent transaction on your ANZ card, ANZ will credit your account with the amount of the loss provided you didn’t contribute to the loss; and you have notified ANZ promptly of the fraud.

Back to top

Unless the account services are provided or referred to you by ANZ, ANZ does not authorise, promote or endorse the use of account services offered by parties other than ANZ to access your ANZ accounts (including account aggregation services, such as may be provided by other financial institutions).

Back to top

To check your computer for malicious software, ANZ recommends that you:

• If you have not already done so, install security software^*. Two leading providers (AVG and Symantec) offer ANZ customers a 90 day free trial of their market leading Windows software. More about these offers.
• Obtain the latest updates for your security software.
• Follow the instructions provided with your security software to scan and if located, remove malicious software from your computer.

*No protection software will completely guarantee against unauthorised access or virus contamination, but it may increase the security of your computer systems.

Back to top