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We work hard to keep your super and personal information safe and have strict security measures in place. As scams and fraud continue to rise in Australia, there’s never been a more important time to protect your privacy and keep your super safe.
Protect your identity to protect your super
Superannuation funds are becoming a target for criminals, with identity theft one of the biggest risks when it comes to protecting your super account.
Identity theft is where your personal information is compromised or stolen and used to carry out fraudulent activity.
We have various security measures to protect your super, but there are extra things you can do to reduce the risk of identity theft and the risk of a fraud on your account.
Here are some important steps you can take to make sure your account is safe
The best way to detect any unusual activity is to monitor your HESTA online account regularly. With an online account, you can:
- track your balance
- check your employer contributions
- review your insurance cover
- download your annual statement
- nominate your beneficiaries.
- keep your contact details up to date.
If you want to set up an online account you can register here.
We’ll send you an SMS confirmation of any changes to your personal details made on your online account.
If you receive a message about a change you didn’t make, call us immediately on 1800 813 327.
Set up a password on your HESTA online account that is:
- difficult for others to guess but easy for you to remember, and is made up of a variety of letters, numbers and symbols
- unique to your HESTA online account (don’t re-use passwords from other websites or apps)
- changed regularly
- known only to you and not shared with family or friends.
Help protect your online account by setting up two layers of security for extra peace of mind. Two-factor authentication is an effective way to protect your valuable information and accounts against unauthorised access.
Follow these steps to set up two-factor authentication:
- Log in to your online account.
- Navigate to Personal details from your profile, located in the top right of the home dashboard.
- Here you can add two-factor authentication in the Preferences tab.
Once you’re set up with two-factor authentication for your online account, we’ll send a verification code to your mobile each time you log in.
Don’t have an online account yet? Register now so you can check in with your super regularly.
We may call you about your super, particularly if:
- we’re getting back to you about a request you’ve made
- you’ve provided feedback on our services.
We do this as part of your membership benefits.
However, unsolicited cold calls are illegal, and you should not engage with these callers as they may be attempting to obtain your personal information as part of a scam.
Here are some tips to protect yourself on the phone:
- Never provide your superannuation information to someone who contacts your unexpectedly.
- Don’t be pressured to make financial decisions like transferring your super. Always take the time to check the legitimacy of the person or organisation contacting you. If the caller claims to be a HESTA employee and you have reason to doubt their identity, make a note of their name and contact number before ending the call.
- You can verify the identity of the caller by checking the HESTA service team web page. HESTA administrative team members may also contact you, and you can confirm their identity by calling the HESTA contact centre on 1800 813 327.
- Report any SMS you receive that has spelling errors, an unfamiliar sender address, suspicious links, or requests for personal information.
If you receive a phone call or SMS relating to your super that you’re unsure about:
- don’t click on the links within the SMS or forward the message on
- call us immediately on 1800 813 327 (don’t use any phone number mentioned in the SMS).
Fraudsters may send you fake emails with harmful links or malicious attachments. This practice is known as phishing and emails like this can be identified by:
- misspelling or images and graphics that don’t look quite right
- unfamiliar sender addresses
- suspicious attachments
- requests for your personal information
- a sense of urgency (scammers may try to test your better judgment by stating that something needs your immediate attention)..
Always be cautious as phishing emails can be hard to detect.
We won’t send you emails asking you to confirm or disclose your personal information.
If you receive an email that you’re unsure about:
- don’t open any attachments or click on any links
- call us immediately on 1800 813 327 (don’t use any phone number mentioned in the email)
- always access your HESTA online account through the HESTA website: https://hesta.com.au or by typing the web address into a new browser window.
If you suspect fraudulent activity on your super account, please call us immediately on 1800 813 327.
Report cybercrime to ReportCyber and scams to Scamwatch. If you’ve experienced identify theft, contact IDCARE.
Protecting your super from scammers
Types of superannuation scams
Scammers pretend to be financial advisers from organisations that appear trustworthy and will try to make contact online, by email or a cold call. They encourage individuals by promising things such as:
- help in accessing your super early
- moving your super to another financial product with the promise of better returns.
Often, they will ask you for:
- personal information, so they can use your identity to commit a fraud on your account; or,
- contact you and offer to help you withdraw your super savings. This might be as one lump sum to an account that doesn’t belong to you, or as a transfer to a self-managed super fund.
Once they have the information they need, they work on transferring your funds into an account controlled by them, and you risk losing your super to fraud.
Beware of advertisements promoting early access to super, as well as unlicensed operators. You can verify licensed operators on the ASIC Connect website.
Self-managed super fund (SMSF) scams
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has alerted the public of scams where individuals are encouraged to create a SMSF.
Usually, contact is made through a phone call or email. When people transfer their funds to what they believe is their SMSF, their super balances are instead transferred to a bank account controlled by the scammer.
You can read more about SMSF scams on the ASIC website.
Illegal early release scams
Scammers will sometimes claim they can help people access their super before they reach preservation age. Other than for extreme financial hardship or compassionate reasons, you generally can’t access your super until you've reached your preservation age. People experiencing financial stress may be vulnerable to this technique, so always speak to a HESTA team member if you want to learn more about early access to super.
Reporting scams
If you suspect fraudulent activity on your super account, please call us immediately on 1800 813 327.
For more information on how to protect yourself, visit:
- Moneysmart
- Scamwatch - Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
- Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)
- IDCARE
- Australian Federal Police
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The HESTA team is here to help. Reach out to us if you have any questions about your account.