How can I protect myself from identity theft?

Identity theft is a type of fraud where someone pretends to be someone else by assuming their identity. An example of identity theft is someone stealing your personal information and using it to open a bank account or apply for a loan in your name.

You can protect yourself against identity theft by:

• Being careful about the information you reveal about yourself online, and always read the privacy policies of web sites to which you provide personal information.
• Not giving out personal information to anyone unless you know that they are a trusted and reputable source. If in doubt, contact the organisation directly.
• Making sure that your computer is properly secured (i.e. has up-to-date anti-virus, firewall and anti-spyware protection).
• Ensuring your email account is secure, as compromised email accounts are a common source of data compromises resulting in identity theft.
• Being aware of the common tricks used by online scammers and fraudsters. Visit Scamwatch regularly to stay on top of the latest scams.
• Choosing passwords that are easy to remember but are hard to guess, and change them regularly.
• Ensuring your contact details are up to date and your mail is not going to an old address.
• Securing your mailbox with a padlock.
• Shredding all documents with a quality shredder before throwing them in the bin.
• Contacting a bank you don’t bank with immediately if you receive mail from them.
• Regularly check your credit history either through Experian or Equifax. Equifax gives one free credit report a year.
• Reporting lost wallets, identification and bank cards immediately (you can let us know about your Suncorp Bank debit and credit card/s by contacting us or calling our 24/7 hotline on 1800 775 020).
• Maintaining your card security settings in the Suncorp Bank App.
• Contacting us immediately if you notice unusual transactions on your account or suspect someone else knows your Internet Banking password, phone banking password or EFTPOS PIN.

If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam in relation to your Suncorp banking, contact us on 13 11 75.