Security

How to protect yourself online

It’s never been more important to keep your personal information safe online. As more and more products and services go digital, you should be smart about where and who you give your personal information to online. There are a number of strategies you can use to safeguard your online activity and protect your devices from viruses.

Top tips to protect yourself online

• Keep passwords, access codes and any other security information secret including covering your Internet banking access code when using in a public place. Health Professionals Bank will never ask you to provide your access code to a Health Professionals Bank employee.
• Report anything you are suspicious of immediately, especially if you think your card has been stolen, a suspicious transaction is on your bank statement, or your mail has been accessed by someone.
• Protect all your other personal information, including destroying your bank statements securely, collecting your mail promptly and not providing your details to anyone you do not trust.
• Keep your computer safe by having up to date security software, checking you are only using trusted sites for purchasing items and not opening emails you’re not sure about.
• Keep your computer browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox), and product software (Microsoft Office/Adobe flash, etc.) up to date. Software providers frequently develop updates and patches to address new and developing security threats. Regular security updates help protect your computer from malicious attacks.
• Make sure you have the most up-to-date version of your computer’s operating system installed. This will ensure that you have the most current security patches, as well as the best functionality for your programs and while browsing the Internet. From 14 January 2020, Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 – find how this might affect you.

Note: Internet Explorer recommends that you use the latest version of its browser. As of 12 January 2016, support by Microsoft will only be available for the most current version of Internet Explorer. Read more information on how this works here.

Find out about which browsers are compatible with Internet Banking.

Passwords and access codes

• Select a hard-to-guess access code
• Between 4 and 16 characters, containing numbers, letters and symbols.
• Don’t use dictionary words, names of people, pets, sports teams, postcodes, phone numbers, birthdays or any other easily identifiable information.
• Don’t use an access code that you use for another service.
• Memorise your access code.

Using your access code safely

• Ensure that you are not observed when entering your access code.
• Never disclose it to anyone, including family members or our staff.
• Change your access code regularly.
• Don’t write it down, or record it within a file stored on your computer, mobile phone or other device.
• Always log out after using Internet banking.
• Care should always be taken in unknown areas, like internet cafes, to prevent any other persons viewing your member number and access code. This applies equally to people watching the keyboard or watching the mouse on the screen. We recommend that you do not access online banking via public access computers, e.g. Internet cafés, universities etc.
• If you suspect that someone else knows your access code, change it immediately via Internet Banking.

Hoax emails and online fraud

What to do if you suspect you have received a hoax email:

• Do not open it or click on any links or attachments.
• Delete the email immediately.
• Never enter any personal information including PINs or access codes.
• If you have already clicked on the link or attachment, we recommend you run a full system anti-virus scan.
• Immediately change your Internet banking access code.
• Report the incident to Health Professionals Bank.

Below is an example of what a phishing or hoax email may look like. It is important to report phishing emails to us but make sure you never click on any links in the email:

These hoax emails appear as being sent from Health Professionals Bank and try to trap you into providing your personal information or get you to download a virus onto your computer. Health Professionals Bank will not contact you via email to ask you to provide or confirm personal information (e.g. credit card number, account number, internet banking access code and/or PIN).