Westpac Mobile Banking a safe option, but protect your PIN

Mobile banking offers great convenience and allows you to avoid travel and queues – but how safe is it?
When it comes to banking in Papua New Guinea, mobile banking is one of the safest options. It takes away the need for cash handling and storage, allows you to monitor transactions on your account regularly and it also means you can transact at a time and place that is safe and secure, with you the only person able to view account information.
However, not all mobile banking applications in the market are equal and some offer greater security.
Westpac has the most advanced mobile technology available in order to protect its customers’ mobile banking transactions. The bank also works closely with Papua New Guinea’s two mobile networks to ensure customer mobile transactions remain secure.
“Patented security gives Westpac the ability to check each mobile banking transaction, which means our customers can conduct their banking wherever and whenever it suits them –secure in the knowledge that hackers and fraudsters cannot interfere or fiddle with those transactions,” said Westpac’s Head of Retail Banking, Cameron Penfold.
While Mr Penfold is confident that Westpac mobile banking is one of the most secure ways to bank in PNG, he is also quick to remind customers that they also have a key role to play when it comes to keeping their personal mobile banking information safe.
“Banks can only do so much to protect customers – they also need to do their part,” Mr Penfold said.
“By following a few simple steps, customers can greatly reduce the chances that they will fall victim to fraud and help us to protect their money.”
To bank safely via your mobile:
• Keep your PIN number secret - nobody needs to know your secret PIN to access mobile banking, not even bank staff
• Keep your mobile phone safe - if it gets lost or stolen, notify Westpac immediately on our call centre 322 - XXXX
• Be careful who is watching - don’t let anybody see you enter your PIN number into your phone
• If you think someone has seen your PIN, dial *149# immediately, and change your PIN number (Option X on the help menu)
For more information, call the Westpac Call Center on 322 0888.
Westpac operates in three Pacific countries – Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu – through its network of branches, ATMs, merchants and In-Store Banking facilities.