For some, scams can mean the loss of entire life savings. Cybercrime can be hard to identify and difficult to stop once it is underway. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we protect ourselves and each other.
Our dedicated team of professionals at BT have put together these tips to help protect you from falling victim to cybercrime.
What you can do to protect yourself
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Purchase and install high-quality software on your computer to detect and prevent viruses, spyware and malware. When you purchase security software, you will receive updates including patches for your security system. It is extremely important you update when prompted and do not ignore as the ‘patch’ includes any latest threats to your operating system.
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Never click on links in emails or text messages.
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Do not open attachments unless you are sure of the source.
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Take precautions when accessing free wi-fi such as using a virtual private network (VPN).
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Where possible use biometrics like fingerprint or face recognition to restrict access to your mobile phone.
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Do not give out personal information unless you are sure it is secure. This includes social media.
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Limit social media connections to people you know in real life.
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Review your financial statements often and ensure all the transactions are yours.
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Never share usernames or passwords – and never record them anywhere.
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Ensure your passwords are not easy to guess and use a combination of letters and numbers.
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Use different passwords for different systems and applications.
Please visit Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-2025 at Cyber.gov.au.
Important information
Information current as at June 2026.
This paper has been prepared by BT, a part of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL & Australian Credit Licence 233714 (Westpac).
This communication has been prepared for use by advisers only. It must not be made available to any client and any information in it must not be communicated to any client.
This information does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and so you should consider its appropriateness, having regard to these factors before acting on it.
This document provides an overview or summary only and it should not be considered a comprehensive statement on any matter or relied upon as such.
This document may contain material provided by third parties derived from sources believed to be accurate at its issue date. While such material is published with necessary permission, the Westpac Group accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of, nor does it endorse any such third party material. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we intend by this notice to exclude liability for this third party material.
© BT - Part of Westpac Banking Corporation 2026