Fighting fraud

Australians lose billions to fraud and scams each year. Border Bank is actively working to reduce your risk of falling victim to fraud, but we need your help to keep your accounts safe.

What is fraud? Common types of fraud Protecting yourself from fraud

What is fraud?

Fraud refers to instances where someone uses deception to steal money from or take advantage of somebody else. There are several different types of fraud. Some types can be simple, like using stolen credit card details to make purchases online. Others can be incredibly complex and sometimes involve multiple scammers using hacked email addresses or cloned phone numbers to trick their victims into handing over thousands of dollars. By learning about the different types of fraud and how to spot them, you’ll be better equipped to protect yourself.

Things we’ll never ask you to do

Scammers may try to impersonate Border Bank employees and convince you to share the information they need to access your accounts.

There are some things Border Bank will never ask you to do, including:

- Sharing sensitive details such as your passwords, PIN, or One-Time Passwords (OTP).
- Clicking a link to log into your account.
- Granting remote access to any of your devices.
- Transferring your money into another account to keep it safe.

To keep yourself safe, you should never carry out any of these requests.

Common types of fraud

Learn about the most common types of fraud and strategies for avoiding them.

Report suspicious activity

Card fraud

Card fraud refers to unauthorised use of your credit and debit cards by a malicious party. In 2023-24 more than 2 million Australians were victims of card fraud, making it one of the most common types of fraud in the country.

To protect yourself from card fraud:

- Always sign the back of your card.
- Never share your PIN with anyone.
- Destroy expired or unwanted cards before disposing of them.
- Always check a website is secure before making a card payment.
- Check for tampering or suspicious devices before using an ATM.
- Report any suspicious activity as soon as possible.

Digital fraud

Digital fraud is the general term for any kind of fraud perpetrated using emails, software, websites or other digital technology to steal your data or money.

This includes phishing scams, computer viruses, account takeovers and more.

To protect yourself from digital fraud:

- Create strong and unique passwords for each account.
- Keep your passwords secret and update them regularly.
- Avoid clicking links or downloading anything from senders you don’t recognise.
- Hover your cursor over any email addresses or links to see their actual addresses.
- Don’t share your log in details with anyone else.

Cheque fraud

Cheque fraud includes both the use of fake cheques to make payments that won’t go through, and the use of legitimate cheques by people who aren’t authorised to make payments.

To protect yourself from cheque fraud:

Never pre-sign a blank cheque.
Avoid making a cheque out to ‘cash or bearer’.
Only write cheques your account balance can honour.
Always keep your cheque book in a secure place.
Conduct regular account reviews and reconcile cheque transactions.
Confirm the details of any cheques you receive are correct before cashing them.
Watch out for any attempted alterations to cheques.

Please note: Border Bank does not issue or settle cheques.

Identity fraud

Identity fraud – also known as identity theft – is when someone uses your personal details and attempts to impersonate you. Using your identity, they may access your bank accounts, open new accounts or issue cards in your name, apply for passports or other sensitive documents or undertake other illegal activities.

To protect yourself from identity fraud:

Watch for unusual activity on your bank accounts.
Be cautious of texts or emails from businesses you haven’t interacted with.
Be wary of any uptick in suspicious communications from phone numbers and email addresses you don’t recognise.
Keep your personal details private and be careful of what you share on social media.
Destroy any documents that include personal details before throwing them away.
Report identity fraud immediately.

Stop. Check. Protect.

Three simple steps to keep your money and identity safe:

Stop

If something feels off – an unexpected call, email, or text – STOP. Scammers rely on urgency to trick you.

Check

Confirm before you act. Use official contact details to verify the request or ask someone you trust for advice.

Protect

If it’s suspicious, secure your accounts. Change passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, and report the scam to Police Bank.

Other tips to avoid fraud

Always pause and think

Before any kind of financial transaction, stop and review the facts. Make sure you know who you’re dealing with, why you’re dealing with them, and whether it’s appropriate to provide any information or money under the circumstances.

Review your finances regularly

Remember to check your credit report and super balance as well as your bank statements to make sure money isn’t being siphoned out of unexpected sources.

Never rush into a decision

Scammers will often try to force you to make quick decisions. They might do this by threatening you with a fine or legal action or encouraging you to act fast to avoid missing out on a deal.
Always take your time and double check everything is legitimate before acting, and be wary of anyone trying to pressure you before you’re ready.

Check their credentials

Before sending money, making a payment or investing, be sure to do some research into the people and companies you’re transacting with to make sure they’re the real deal.

Ask people you trust

If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of something, speak with a trusted friend or family member. You can also contact us to enquire about suspicious messages – do not trust contact details in a suspicious message or phone call.

Trust your hunches

When something feels wrong, it often can be. If your instincts are telling not to proceed it’s good time to stop and reconsider.

Need to report a suspicious activity?

Call us on 132 267 Report a scam

More helpful information

Scams

Stay aware. Stay safe.
We’re constantly on the lookout for scams. Make sure you are too.

Learn more

Confirmation of Payee

To help protect our members from fraud, scams and mistaken payments, we’ve launched Confirmation of Payee (CoP) — a new security feature that adds an extra layer of protection when you’re sending money.

Learn more

Lost or Stolen Cards

If your card has been lost or stolen, it’s important to act quickly to protect your account and prevent any unauthorised transactions.

Learn more