Card collection scam
How to spot the scam
Criminals pretend to be from your bank, IT company or phone company and tell you that your account or computer is not secure. They will ask you to provide your PIN and leave your card out for collection in your letterbox so it can be cancelled and replaced, or to withdraw cash and hand this over instead.
How the scam works
Scammers impersonate organisations you know and trust so that you will believe what they’re saying.They will try to make you scared about the security of your money or device, so you’ll do what they say without stopping to check that what they're saying is real. Once they have your card and PIN, they’ll withdraw as much money from your account as possible.
What you should know
Your bank or phone company will never ask you to:• disclose your PIN• leave your card out to be collected• withdraw cash from your account• transfer money to another account to keep it secure.Speak up and report if you are ever asked to do any of these things. Visit the Scamwatch website to find out more.
Stay protected
STOP – Never tell anyone your PIN, or give your card or cash to someone you don’t know. Say no, hang up, delete.CHECK – Scammers call and pretend to be from organisations that you know and trust – like your bank. If you’re not sure, call the official number of the organisation to check. You can find this on their website, app or the back of your bank card.PROTECT – If a scammer has taken your money, bank card or personal details, contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam and ask them to stop any transactions. Call the police if your cash or card has been taken by someone you don’t know. Report scams to Scamwatch.
If you’ve been affected
If a scammer has taken your money, bank card or personal details, contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam and ask them to stop any transactions. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch. The information you provide helps the National Anti-Scam Centre make Australia a harder target for scammers.For more information about how to avoid or report a scam, visit the Scamwatch website.
We’re proudly celebrating our 60th Anniversary throughout November, commemorating six decades of dedicated service as a customer-owned financial institution in the Illawarra and South Coast.
It all began in 1964 when a government appointed organiser of Credit Unions visited Wollongong and spoke to employees of the Illawarra County Council about the possibility of forming a Credit Union. They agreed to a formation meeting which occurred on the 20th November 1964.
Since that day Horizon Bank has grown exponentially while remaining the only true South Coast & Illawarra based financial institution. There have been multiple mergers along the way to form what Horizon is today. Visit our history page for more information.
We now proudly have 18,000+ members as well as 10 branches that span the Illawarra & South Coast.
60 years on, we remain committed to providing gold star service to our members through our extensive range of banking products & services.
We thank all our members & staff for the support and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact in the Illawarra & South Coast for decades to come.
We invite you to join us in your local branch on 20 November to celebrate with a sweet treat!
Safe & Savvy Guide
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has a guide to help older people avoid abuse, scams and fraud. Elder financial abuse can take many forms and happen to anyone.
This 6-part guide aims to:
Introduce the concept of elder financial abuse, and explain why it matters to you.
Make sure you can recognise the types and signs of elder financial abuse.
Give you practical steps to help safeguard yourself and your loved ones against potential abuse - now and in the future.
Learn and understand common scams and fraud and how they can affect you.
To access the guide, click here.
Horizon's Year in Review for 2023-2024 is now available.
Featuring:
Horizon in the community, financials, member satisfaction, a word from our Chair & CEO, highlights, achievements and more ...
Check it out below:
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month and an annual reminder for all Australians to stay secure online.
Here are 4 simple steps that can help you improve your cyber security:
Turn on multi-factor authentication.
Keep your devices and software up to date.
Use strong and unique passwords, such as a passphrase.
Recognise and report phishing.
We encourage you to take the time to talk to your family, friends and colleagues about cyber security and take action to secure your devices or accounts from cyber threats.
You can find more information here.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HORIZON CREDIT UNION LTDABN 66 087 650 173
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Horizon Credit Union Ltd ABN 66 087 650 173 trading as Horizon Bank, will be held on Thursday, 7th November 2024, 5.30pm at 27 Stewart St, Wollongong.
For more information, click here.
Horizon is excited to unveil our Annual Report for the 2023/2024 financial year (FY24).
This report contains yet another year of strong financial results. It also showcases Horizon's ongoing focus & commitment to our communities, continued investment in technology and a growing branch network. We're proud to share our progress with you.
See the full Annual Report below.
The Eurobodalla Woodcraft Guild were thrilled to receive a Community Grant from Horizon Bank totaling $1,958, enabling the purchase of a new chainsaw, case, and helmet set. This essential equipment will enhance the safety and efficiency of their members as they work on local timber projects.
According to Rick Stanford, Vice President of the Guild, the new equipment allows members to safely trim donated tree trunks to fit into their milling machine, resulting in usable timber slabs for various community projects. “This grant will significantly improve our operations and enable us to support even more local initiatives,” Stanford stated in their Grant application.
The Woodcraft Guild has a proud history of providing services to local organisations, including Anglicare, Eurobodalla Council, the Tai Chi Club, and the Moruya Jockey Club. The group benefits from skilled ex-Forestry members who offer safety and usage training, ensuring all members are equipped to handle the equipment responsibly.
Jenny McKenzie, Horizon Bank Moruya Branch Manager, expressed pride in the bank’s commitment to supporting local communities. “The Horizon Bank Community Grants program has delivered over $22,000 to Eurobodalla-based organisations over the last couple of years. We are excited to support initiatives that make a real difference in the community,” Jenny said.
Here you can see one of their senior members, Malcolm, giving a demonstration and training of the new chainsaw to some other members.
Horizon’s Community Grants Program will open for applications in mid-2025.
Our Moruya Branch team spent their Saturday in the sun recently at the Festival for Sustainable Choices in Moruya held by the Eurobodalla Shire Council.Everyone gathered in Riverside Park Amphitheatre on September 14th for great day with plenty of stalls, activities, workshops, panel discussions and more, providing lots of information on how to make more sustainable choices.
Jenny, Ella & Kim-Maree from our Moruya Branch manned a Horizon Bank stall at the festival. They enjoyed spending time chatting to the festival-goers about how Horizon could help them in making more sustainable choices. They provided information about our competitively priced Green Personal Loans as well as our Green Car Loans.
At Horizon Bank we acknowledge our environmental responsibility. ‘Green Horizons’ is a key strategic initiative to be, and be seen as being, a responsible & influential environmental citizen. Being able to be a part of events such as this aligns with our values is fantastic and we look forward to more opportunities like this in the future. Well done to all involved.
From September 2024, there will be important changes to our Debit Cards in Apple Pay which will impact how Apple Pay Mobile Wallet transactions are routed and processed.
What's changing?
All Horizon Bank Debit Cards are Multi-Network Debit Cards meaning you can make transactions using either the eftpos or Visa network.From September 2024, in Apple Pay you will no longer have the choice to select the payment network when you transact in-store. The Network Selection will be performed by the merchant instead of you, the cardholder, meaning when you pay using your card, it’s up to the merchant to choose whether the transaction is an EFTPOS or a Visa transaction.You can still use Apple Pay the same way you always have by double clicking the side button and authenticating with Touch ID, Face ID or passcode.
Depending on the type of transaction account you hold and which the card is linked to, this means you may also incur a transaction fee depending on how the merchant chooses to route the transaction.
Will the change apply to everyone with a Debit Card provisioned in Apple Pay?
Users who upgrade to iOS 18 and/or WatchOS 11 and provision a Horizon Bank Debit Card to apple Pay will no longer have the choice to select the payment network (eftpos or Visa) when they transact in-store. This choice will reside with the merchant instead.
What if I have an iOS/WatchOS older than iOS18/WatchOS 11?
Both existing and newly provisioned Horizon Bank Debit Cards in Apple Pay with an iOS/WatchOS older then iOS18/WatchOS 11 will continue to have user choice.
Why the change?
When a merchant (e.g. a shop or business) accepts payment from a customer via a debit or credit card, the merchant is charged a fee by their bank or payments provider. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has decided that the Merchant should be able to choose how the transaction gets routed as they are the ones who are incurring the fees.
In Australia, debit card transactions can be processed through either eftpos or the Visa/Mastercard network. The cost the merchant faces from their financial institution for accepting a debit card transaction can vary depending on which network the transaction is processed through. For this reason, the RBA expects mobile wallet providers, to support Merchant Choice Routing.
We're happy to help
If you do have any questions about this change or would like help managing your accounts or cards, please feel free to give us a call on 1300 366 565.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Merchant Choice Routing?
When a customer makes a payment with their dual-network debit card, the merchant may choose to send the transaction via the debit network that costs them the least to accept. This is known as ‘least-cost routing’ or ‘merchant-choice routing’. If the merchant chooses not to route, the transaction will be sent via the default network. If you perform a transaction that a merchant chooses to route via a different network, it does not affect which account the funds are pulled from, and the different networks offer similar protections to the cardholder from fraud and disputed transactions for in-person transactions. If you would like more information on Merchant Choice Routing, please visit the RBA’s website.
What is Dual-Network Debit Card?
Most debit cards in Australia have a functionality that enables a payment to be processed via either EFTPOS or one of the two international networks – Visa/Mastercard. These are called Dual-network or Multi-Network debit cards. Horizon Bank’s Debit Cards are Dual-Network Debit Cards.
How do I check if my debit card in Apply Pay supports both the Visa and eftpos payment network?
You can determine whether your dual network debit card supports both networks by using your iPhone and following these steps; 1. Open the Wallet app. 2. Tap on your card. 3. Tap the More button 4. Tap Card Number. Within the Card Number section, if you see Mastercard or Visa and eftpos network, then the card is a dual network debit card.
Will I still have the choice to select my preferred network when transacting?
When using your Horizon Bank Debit Card you can always select a particular network by inserting your Debit Card into a terminal to make a payment. When doing this you will be asked to select which network to use. If you’re making a contactless payment by tapping your Horizon Bank Debit Card on a terminal, the transaction is automatically routed to the default network programmed on the card.
Will I be charged fees?
A transaction fee may apply depending on which account the transaction on the Debit Card is linked to and which network the transaction is processed through. Generally, Horizon Bank transaction accounts that charge a fee for EFTPOS transactions will be affected. This is because you could be charged an EFTPOS fee for what you thought was a Visa transaction, as a result of the merchant routing the transaction via a different network. To view a copy of our current fees and charges visit https://horizonbank.com.au/help/rates-fees/fees-and-charges/
Will this change affect my Horizon Bank credit card if I have one?
These changes only apply to dual-network debit cards; it does not affect members using credit cards.
Is there anything I need to do ahead of this change?
There’s nothing you need to do; the change will happen automatically.
