What to do if there’s something fishy on your bank statement

Banks put in place security measures to prevent dodgy characters getting into your bank account and will monitor to catch any strange activity. However, scammers always look for new, inventive ways to go undetected, so it’s important for you to consistently check your bank statements to make sure there’s nothing unusual going on.

So, how can you go about doing this?

Don’t be short-changed online

It’s a good idea to keep a record of all your online purchases, including photos and descriptions of the things you buy. In particular:

• Make sure you have an email or bank notification confirmation of your purchase before you close your browser
• Record all your receipt numbers and reference numbers (at the very least, screen shot it)
• Check your bank and credit card accounts to make sure you have been charged the right amount
• Make it a habit to check your transactions weekly to make sure nothing unusual pops up.

What to do if you don’t recognise a transaction?

Check if there was an international transaction fee. Many credit cards charge an additional fee of up to 3.5% that gets added into the transaction.

If there’s still something fishy going on, you can place a temporary lock on your card using the ING mobile banking app or through online banking.

This will give you time to make some inquiries. If everything is in order you can go back to the ING app or online banking to unlock your card. If you’re still concerned please call us immediately on 1800 052 743 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Here are some other reasons you should contact us straight away:

• You cancelled a regular payment, but were still charged
• You accidentally sent a payment to the wrong recipient
• You have not received the items you bought or the items received are not the ones described to you when you purchased it
• You were charged twice for the same purchase.

Remember, the first thing you should do is to contact your bank. This is because you may have rights to claim or dispute the transaction, provided that you raise the issue within certain timeframes.

Paperless statements

For accounts such as your Orange Everyday, Savings Maximiser, Savings Accelerator and Living Super, you can receive statements in online banking. This means you can securely access up to 7 years of your statements instantly without risk of your mail going missing or being interfered with. Alternatively, visit ing.com.au/contactus.

For more info on how to stay secure, visit https://www.ing.com.au/security.html