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Keeping you safe.

Learn about our security measures that help keep you safe.

How we keep you safe.

  • We use sophisticated fraud detection technology.
  • We have a dedicated 24/7 team looking out for fraudulent payments.
  • We’ve partnered with IDCARE to provide specialist aftercare support.
  • Our Online Banking Guarantee gives you peace of mind.
  • To give you greater confidence you’re paying the right person and to help protect you from scams, Westpac and other New Zealand banks have started checking names match account numbers with the Confirmation of Payee service. 

How safe is Westpac One® online banking?

Westpac Online Guardian.

Online Guardian is our online security system designed to make your online banking experience safer.

It learns your normal online banking patterns and will check your identity if something is out of the ordinary. This creates an additional layer of security, should your accounts or details be compromised.

How it works:

  • continually monitors your online banking for unusual activity
  • identifies unusual transactions, log ins or updates
  • if something doesn't look right, it will prompt you to authenticate your identity by using challenge questions, or by sending one-time verification codes to you by text. This is called the Online Guardian Challenge Service.

Taking security to the next level.

With the increase in the number and sophistication of online scams and fraud, it’s important for us to continue innovating with the latest tools and technology to help keep you and your money safe.

In addition to Westpac Online Guardian, we also use innovative technology to look out for any inconsistencies in how you normally access and interact with Westpac One digital banking. This is a useful way for us to help detect, investigate, and prevent potential cases of fraud, unauthorised use, and criminal activity.

To reduce the risk of paying the wrong person by mistake and to help protect you from scams, Westpac and the New Zealand banking industry are bringing in a Confirmation of Payee service to check digital banking payments.    

FAQs.

Mastercard Identity Check.

Mastercard Identity Check helps keep you safe while you're shopping online. When you make a purchase, you may see an extra screen pop up while your payment is being processed. A code will be sent to your registered mobile phone. Enter this passcode into the box on screen and complete your transaction.
It’s quick, easy and won’t slow you down. Here’s how it works

Financial Crime Prevention team.

We're making your banking experience as safe as possible with the help of a dedicated Financial Crime Prevention team.

The team operates 24/7, using sophisticated fraud detection technology to identify unusual transactions on your accounts.  

If you get a call from our team, they’ve been analysing transactions that may look fraudulent, and will need confirmation from you that the transactions on your account were made or authorised by you.

Knowing what Westpac staff will never ask you for, could help you stay protected.

  • Under no circumstances would anyone from Westpac ask for your online banking password or PIN. These are your details and shouldn't be shared with anyone.
  • We'll never email or text you with a direct link to a page asking you to log into your online banking or provide any personal information.
  • We'll never ask you to give us remote access to your computer or phone, or to download software like Anydesk or Team Viewer.
  • We'll never send you an unsolicited message on social media or messaging apps like Whatsapp.
  • We'll never ask you to move money to another account to keep it safe or help us catch criminals or hackers.
  • We'll never come to your home (or send a courier) to pick up cards or cash.
  • We'll never ask you to withdraw cash to keep it safe.

IDCARE.

Westpac have partnered with IDCARE who provide specialist aftercare support for our customers who have been seriously impacted by scams and fraud.

IDCARE are a specialist support service that assists individuals to respond to risks from compromised personal information. They have a New Zealand based National Case Management Centre which is staffed with experienced Identity & Cyber Security Case Managers, including qualified counsellors and social workers. They work with individuals to provide tailored response plans and can also offer cyber assistance to help customers ‘clean’ their compromised computers.

This is a key fraud prevention initiative. It provides our customers with priority access to specialist case managers and counsellors who can help reduce the harm after identity information is compromised.

How does IDCARE help our customers?

This is an important service that extends beyond their banking needs and is likely to reduce repeat victimisation. It provides a dedicated resource for the many hours of aftercare that victims of scams and complex fraud often require. It also provides support to address the psychological impacts that are likely to have enduring, and in some cases, life changing, effects on our customers. It doesn't disrupt the important work our teams do in Financial Crime, at our Contact Centre and in branches.

Our Online Banking Guarantee.

We’re committed to protecting you from online fraud, and we’re just as committed to preserving the ease and convenience of our online banking services. We’re so confident in our systems and processes that, subject to our General Terms and Conditions 1, we make you the following promise:

If you fall victim to online fraud as a result of using Westpac New Zealand's Online Banking or Business Online Banking (BOL) services, we will investigate your loss and the contributing circumstances and reimburse the fraud losses if you have:

  • immediately notified Westpac of your loss, and
  • not wilfully, fraudulently or negligently caused or contributed to the loss, and
  • complied with the General Terms and Conditions and any other applicable product or services terms and conditions.

Note: This Online Banking Guarantee applies to Westpac One (both desktop and the app) and BOL, but does not extend to Corporate Online services.

If you think you’re a victim of fraud, contact us immediately to report it. We may ask you to contact the police as well. Once the issue has been investigated and you are deemed to be the victim of fraud, then you’ll have your money returned.

A reminder.

Westpac will never ask you for confirmation of your online banking PIN or password. These should not be disclosed to anyone.

Westpac will never ask you to download software or allow remote access to your computer or device. If you receive a call like this claiming to be from Westpac, hang up immediately. Call us on 0800 400 600.

Report a scam.

Talk to us

If you believe you've been targeted by a scam, or any kind of fraud, contact us immediately. From overseas call +64 9 912 8000.

Call 0800 400 600

Email us

If you’ve received a suspicious email forward it to our dedicated phishing inbox.

phishing@westpac.co.nz

Report to other agencies

Once you have spoken to us, you should report scams to other agencies so that they can take steps to prevent other people being targeted by them and losing money. 

Things you should know.

1Westpac’s General Terms and Conditions require you to, amongst other things, safeguard your Security Details, notify Westpac immediately of any security breach, and provide all relevant details of any fraudulent activity.

There are some countries that block TXT messages from New Zealand, so if you have not received a TXT message from us within 5 minutes, you will need to phone the Westpac Contact Centre directly on +64 9 912 8000 (international toll charges apply). We’re available weekdays from 7.00am to 8.00pm and weekends from 8.00am to 5.00pm NZT.