Guide to Keep Kiwis Safe Online

20 October
For immediate release

Guide to Keep Kiwis Safe Online

With 75% of New Zealanders accessing the Internet, online safety is becoming increasingly important. Westpac New Zealand is doing its best to keep kiwis, their families and businesses safe online with the launch of its new Online Safety Guide.

Westpac is the first New Zealand bank to develop an easy to read reference book on online safety.

The 20-page guide covers the basics from protecting your computer using anti-virus and anti-spyware to tips for online shopping and email use.

Stu Woollett, Westpac’s Head of E-Business, says, “whilst you can’t beat the convenience of the Internet, it has opened up a new avenue for fraudsters to take advantage of the unwary.”

“Transacting online is safe but there are things people can do to make it safer,” he says.

“For example people should keep their programmes updated and install and maintain firewalls, anti-virus and anti spy software to help keep their computer as secure as possible.”

“Unwanted spam is another big issue. People need to be wary of opening or replying to unexpected emails or attachments or downloading programmes or files from people or websites they do not know.”

“When you are shopping online, it is also important to make sure you only enter your payment and shipping details into secure websites displaying the closed padlock icon.”

“You should never share your passwords or use the same password for more than one Internet service,” he says.

“Westpac has New Zealand’s most visited business and finance website and we take online security very seriously.”

“We are committed to ensuring New Zealanders have access to the information and tools they need to keep the country’s e-environment safe and user-friendly,” he says.

The Westpac guide was developed with involvement from the Internet Safety Group. Westpac has worked closely with the Group on online safety issues since 2002 and is the main sponsor of its NetSafe ‘Net Basics’ campaign to educate New Zealanders on online security.

Copies of the Online Security Guide can be ordered from Westpac’s website www.westpac.co.nz or by phoning Westpac on 0800 400 600.

ENDS

Additional information:

- Westpac New Zealand website is the number one business and finance website in New Zealand as audited by Nielsen//Net Ratings.

- Westpac’s Internet Banking Service has more than 470,000 registered online banking customers. It has had almost 78 million logins since its launch in 2000.

- No Westpac customer has lost money as a result of identity theft or fraud by a person they did not know.

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