Stay Smart Online

Smart behaviours to protect your personal and financial information - video transcript

In the real world we wouldn't dare to give out our passwords or our keys that protect our money and possessions, so we shouldn't change our thinking when online because the threat of theft is just as real.

Smart password practice

Using a password is smart changing it regularly is even smarter because it makes it harder for anyone trying to guess your password. Never share your password with others instead you should memorise it, avoid writing it down and never store it within your computer.

Strong vs weak passwords

Don't make up easy to guess passwords - try using upper and lower-case with numbers and symbols.

[Come on, you can give us a stronger password combination than that. That's better.]

Being smart when shopping and banking online

Use common sense when shopping and banking online. Firstly, always keep your password details to yourself, make sure that the pages you visit are secure by looking for the locked padlock symbol on the bottom of the browser. Always use a secure payment method such as PayPal, escrow, BPay or your credit card and avoid making money transfers and direct debits as these are likely to lead to abuse. Never send your banking details via email. After a purchase always print a copy of the transaction as a record. Be wary of pop-up screens and links that could lure you to a fraudulent site. Also beware of phishing emails that look like official financial institution messages. They'll ask you to confirm your banking details and then use them to make unauthorised purchases. Your bank would never ask you to confirm these details online. Remember to always log-out of a banking session and dont simply shut the page.

Protecting your identity online

Social networking is a fun way to stay in contact with people but be careful of the amount of info you post online, even to family and friends. Identity theft can occur from making friends with cyber strangers you don't even know in real life. So restrict your privacy settings and be careful of what personal information you share because this information can stay active long after you have removed it from the web.

Stay smart with your identify online - you only have one so make sure you protect it.