15 January 2021

An increasing number of Heritage members are receiving unsolicited scam phone calls from people claiming to be from ‘your bank’ in an attempt to steal funds. This scam is catching some of our most vulnerable members, which can include the elderly, off guard so we encourage you to share this with your loved ones. 

The scam

The caller may claim there are unusual transactions on your credit/debit card and ask you to confirm the first 4 – 6 digits on the card. At this time, they will claim to be from Heritage and ask for your help to investigate the transactions. 

Members who agree to this are then asked to withdraw funds from their account and are then directed to a money remitter or other financial institution. 

If a member hesitates to agree, they are told they will receive a call back at a certain time. They are also instructed NOT to talk to their bank or family or give any details of the call or why they are withdrawing cash.

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.
• ALWAYS check the authenticity of any unsolicited call.  You can confirm if the communication is genuine or not by calling Heritage Bank directly. Do not use the phone number provided by the person making the call.  If it is a scam, the number provided may direct the call back to the scammer.

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 professionally cleaned by a reputable technician to ensure there is no malware on your system.  

More online security tips from Heritage are available here.