Westpac Fiji head office on Thomson Street, Suva.
By RANOBA BAOA
Westpac Fiji has marked a new era in the online banking industry as it launched its Westpac Protect SMS.
This in a bid to safeguard customers as fraud cases are now becoming under the media microscope globally.
In a statement, Westpac Fiji general manager, Adrian Hughes said the launch clearly demonstrates Westpac’s commitment to customer protection.
“I’m extremely excited about launching the Westpac Protect SMS Code as it underlines our long-term commitment to providing safe and convenient banking for all our customers across Fiji, at a time when attempts at online fraud are common,” Mr Hughe said.
The product has been highly successful in Australia and evidently reduces incidences of online fraud, he said.
“So I’m confident it will dramatically boost the safety of online banking in Fiji with its powerful cut-through in reducing the risk of fraud by quickly and effectively verifying customers’ identities at no cost.”
The product could not come at a better time, with financial institutions worldwide being subject to more sophisticated attempts at online fraud, he said.
“Financial institutions around the world are the subjects of a variety of fraud attempts, including credit card fraud, fake emails, telephone banking and online scams.
“At Westpac, we’re proud of the strong systems we have in place to protect our customers’ money and personal information. But, Westpac Protect SMS will take our already strong systems to another level by providing an extra level of security for customers banking with us. It’s another reason to choose Westpac.
“Signing up for Westpac Protect is as simple as visiting a local Westpac branch and registering a mobile number. Alternatively, if we already have your mobile phone details on file just call us on 132 032,” he said.
How it works: Step-by-step
Anytime a customer wishes to make a change to Westpac Online Banking Westpac will send a text to their mobile phone with a unique 6-digit code.
Online banking includes paying someone they haven’t paid before or making a large payment.
Westpac Protect SMS verifies that the person attempting to make the transaction is the customer; thereby eliminating the risk of fraudsters conducting illegal transactions