Compromised cards

We partner with Vigil, to ensure the security of your card is maintained 24/7. Vigil is a renowned fraud management service who monitors activity on your card, scanning for any transactions that may be suspicious. If they come across anything out of the ordinary, they alert us immediately so that we can get in touch with you. Outside business hours they will attempt to contact you by phone or email to try and act on their alert as early as possible to maintain the integrity of your card, as well as limit any inconvenience to you. They will give you the option of discussing with them or contacting your branch.

As soon as we receive any alerts, we contact our Members to notify them of what has happened and what needs to be done to make sure their accounts stay secure. The card monitoring service is also in liaison with the appropriate authorities to alert them on the matters.

When the possible compromise is considered to be a HIGH risk alert (where an unknown third party may have access to your card details), we cancel your card, effective immediately.

Your local branch are notified straight away if this happens and will get into contact with you by phone, as soon as they can, to avoid any inconvenience. This also provides you with an opportunity to arrange a replacement card straight away at no cost.

If you choose to replace your Visa, we encourage you to make sure you provide your new card details to any companies you have previously organised regular payment arrangements with - just to ensure bills/direct debits continue to be paid (e.g. insurance, pay TV, phone bill) and you don't suffer any defaults.

We also recommend to those affected by high risk alerts that they check their account and statement to verify transactions. If you detect any fraudulent activity in your statements, please contact your local branch immediately.

In the event of a medium risk alert, we will still get in contact with you as soon as possible but your card will not be cancelled immediately.

Shopping online

When you shop online, make sure you are smart about the whole purchasing process.

Be wary if:

  • The website looks suspicious or unprofessional
  • The website is offering bargains which look too good to be true, or
  • You are not confident about the use of your information or that you will get what you pay for.

Remember, when making a payment online:

  • Only pay via a secure web page (one that has a valid digital certificate) - look for the https at the beginning of the address bar and a locked padlock in the browser’s status bar
  • Use a secure payment method such as PayPal, BPAY ®, or your credit card (avoid money transfers and direct debit, as these can be open to abuse)
  • Never send your bank or credit card details via email - only via a secure web page, and
  • Always print and keep a copy of the transaction.

For more information, hints and tips on internet safety and security, go to www.staysmartonline.gov.au, an Australian Government initiative from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.