Scam phone calls imitating Heritage Bank and other companies

1 December 2020

A reminder to remain vigilant about scammers in the lead up to the busy festive season. 

We’re aware that some of our members have received cold calls from people claiming to be from Heritage Bank, or other well-known companies. 

The caller may suggest there is a problem with your account and ask you to share personal information, provide your bank details, or transfer your funds to another account in order to fix the issue.  They may also request remote access to your computer.

Those who unsuspectingly comply may later discover their Heritage account has been accessed by unauthorised persons, or have had their funds stolen. 

What if I receive a suspicious call? 

• If you receive a call out of the blue about your account requesting your personal details, asking you to transfer money, or requesting remote access to your computer, HANG UP  or say "I'll need to get back to you" and hang up – even if they mention a well-known company.
• Under NO circumstances withdraw funds from your account based on information from a cold call.
• DO NOT engage in conversation or provide any personal or sensitive information to the caller.
• DO NOT share your screen
• ALWAYS check the authenticity of any call or email.  You can confirm if the communication is genuine or not by calling Heritage Bank or the company mentioned directly.

If you have provided sensitive information, it’s very important you change ALL your Heritage Online passwords and call us immediately on 13 14 22. If a scammer has accessed your computer remotely you should have your computer is professionally cleaned by a reputable technician to ensure there is no malware on your system.  

More online security tips from Heritage are available here.