OCBA - How to protect yourself

Credit Cards


	Sign your credit card as soon as you receive it.
	Don't provide your credit card details over the telephone or via the Internet unless you initiated the contact and are absolutely sure who you are dealing with. If you ring a business, eg a florist, you know who they are. But if they ring you first – how can you be sure? (This scam is often used by con-artists who claim you have won a prize and need to pay them to send it to you.)
	Always keep your card in sight during any transaction.
	Leave at home any non-essential credit cards and particularly any photographic ID that you don't require regularly. If your wallet/purse is stolen, you will need these for identification.
	Contact your financial institution immediately if your cards are lost or stolen. This will limit your liability if your accounts are accessed illegally.
	Keep a detailed list of all the cards you carry so you can quickly cancel them if they are stolen.

Mail


	Put a lock on your letterbox.
	Make sure your letterbox is big enough to hold all your mail away from prying fingers.
	If mailing personal information (eg your tax return) post the mail at a Post Office if possible. Lots of personal information is accessible from your mail. Make sure others can't get to it - either from your own letterbox or from a vandalised public mailbox.

Guard your Personal Information


	Shred or tear up any invoices, receipts or other documents containing personal details before you discard them. Garbage bins and rubbish dumps are a treasure trove of personal information.
	Don't give your Tax File Number (TFN) to anyone unless they have a very good reason for needing it. If in doubt, check with the tax office. Your TFN is a key piece of personal information.
	Don't write down passwords or PIN numbers. If you have difficulty remembering your PIN, ask to change it to something you will remember. Don't use a number that is easily discovered, such as dates of marriage/ birth of family members.
	Never respond to any emailed request for your bank details and PIN/password - no matter how genuine the site and URL may appear. Financial institutions will never ask for this information via the Internet. Fake websites that look very real may ask you to ‘confirm' your details. Don't respond and don't click on any link provided on the site. Alert your financial institution by phone.
	If you need to provide personal information to a business, give them only what is necessary for the transaction. Ask about their privacy policy. This should tell you why, what and how personal information is stored.
	Ensure no one is watching you when you key in your PIN number. Block the view of the keypad from others who might wish to do a bit of ‘shoulder surfing' or video you with their mobile phone!
	Take precautions in Internet cafes to make sure no-one is watching you enter your card details and always log off the computer.
	Don't provide casual visitors in your home easy access to your personal information. Keep your personal and financial papers out of view.

Do regular checks


	Know when to expect bank and other financial statements. If these are late, contact your financial institution. It may mean that your mail has been diverted.
	Check each financial statement as soon as possible. Contact the bank/financial institution immediately if it lists transactions you didn't make. There is a time limit to claim a refund for unauthorised transactions.
	Check your Credit Report once a year. This is a free service if requested by normal mail or by fax from a credit reporting company. (See the yellow pages).
	Consider requesting a monitoring service from a credit reporting agency. They will notify you of any change to your credit file, such as credit applications.

Copyright
Information on copyright for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website is provided on behalf of South Australia Central http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=60

Disclaimer
Information on the disclaimer for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website is provided on behalf of South Australia Central http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=61

Privacy
The South Australian Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information, consistent with the South Australian Government's Information Privacy Principles. If you would like to view the full privacy statement please visit: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/privacy.html

Webmaster
If you wish to provide feedback on the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website please contact the Webmaster via email mailto:webmaster@agd.sa.gov.au

Accessibility
Information on accessibility for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website can be viewed at: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/accessibility.html

How to protect yourself

On this page

Credit Cards

Mail

Guard your Personal Information

Do regular checks