Fraud Week: Take care online

Media Release
16 May 2017

Fraud Week: Take care online

The recent global randsomware attack provides a grim reminder to protect yourself online, says the New Zealand Bankers’ Association in Fraud Week 2017.

“The convenience of banking and shopping online means we sometimes forget that fraudsters are always looking for new ways to steal our money. The recent ransomware attacks around the world reminds us we all have a role in keeping ourselves safe online,” says New Zealand Bankers’ Association chief executive Karen Scott-Howman.

“The main things to remember to protect yourself from such attacks are to beware email from people you don’t know, don’t open links or attachments in suspicious email, and keep your computers and devices virus protection automatically updated and backed up.

“Similar advice applies when keeping yourself safe from social media scams. Be alert to romance and fake trader scams when using social media. Scammers try to exploit people’s trust to get money out of them.”

How to avoid being scammed on social media:

• Don’t accept invitations from people you don’t know.
• Don’t share personal information with people you haven’t met.
• Review your privacy and security settings. Take the time to understand exactly what your account publicly reveals about you.
• If your account has been compromised, report it to the social media platform.

Fraud Week runs from 15 to 19 May. The theme this year is “Spot social media scams”.

ENDS

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