Protect Yourself Online

Australians lost more than $2 billion in scams in the last year according to Scam Watch.  And New Zealanders have lost over $69.8m over the last 5 years according to Stuff. It is important that you follow these three key steps to protecting yourself online; 1. use strong passwords, 2. be alert, and 3. report attacks, scams and fraud.

Use strong passwords

• Use a password generator - G2 ranks the best password generators here
• Never use the same password - this is easy when you use a password generator
• Never share passwords - goes without saying, never email, text or write down passwords
• Use hard to guess passwords - upper and lower case, numbers and symbols
• Always use 2 factor authentication - Google and Microsoft both have options

Be alert

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is - there is nothing really free in this life, everything worthwhile takes hard work and dedication. Ask questions and do research - use reputable websites you trust to check the validity of the company or person.  Check out the resources below for more information.

Report attacks, scams and fraud

When you see, or are a victim of, an attack, scam or fraud, report it.  We have included links in the resource list below that can help you. 

Resources

Australian Resources

• ACCC Scamwatch to report or find out more about scams- https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam 
• ATO - ATO’s dedicated scam line 1800 008 540 to check legitimacy of a call, text, or email. You can also verify or report a scam online at ato.gov.au/scams

New Zealand Resources

• NetSafe for information on staying safe online https://netsafe.org.nz/ 
• NZ Consumer Protection Report a scam https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch/avoiding-scams/report-a-scam/ 
• New Zealand Police https://www.police.govt.nz/advice/email-and-internet-safety/internet-scams-spam-and-fraud 

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