media release
Ezidebit Pty Ltd
National: 1300 763 256 Local: 07 3124 5500 Fax: 3124 5555 Email: info@ezidebit.com.au
PO Box 1388, Milton QLD 4064
21 December - 2009
Ezidebit issues warning for festive season spending…..
Don't Take the Bait - Simple Tips for Online Security
Electronic payment powerhouse Ezidebit, the recognized direct debit industry leader processing in excess of
half a million transactions per month on behalf of more than 5,000 businesses, has released some simple tips for
online security this festive and retail sales period.
“As thousands take up online retail offers both before and after Christmas, as well as giving their credit cards a
workout, we wanted to just share some simple security measures people can abide by, and avoid being caught
out both online and in the store. These may also just serve as a reminder about internet security and protecting
personal information from phishing attacks,” said Ezidebit’s CIO, Jason Turnbull.
“Until very recently for most, the term “phishing” (pronounced “fishing”) conjured up images on boats and lazy
days in the sun catching dinner. However, phishing involves none of this. It does however involve bait. In short,
phishing is the latest threat to your online well-being,” he said.
“Many people don’t know that Direct Debit is one of the safest ways to pay your bills; in fact, 85% of identity
theft cases actually occur with offline transactions such as lost or stolen cheques, paper bills, or account
statements (Javelin Strategy and Research).
“While at Ezidebit we protect our customers’ information by adhering to detailed security policies along with a
host of other sophisticated systems designed to protect sensitive information, not all companies do this. Here
are a few simple steps that can help increase the security of your internet portals:
Always use an antivirus application and ensure that it is always up-to-date
Use personal firewall software
Always make sure that you have the latest version of all of your software
Always use a unique password that is just for your banking software
Always use strong passwords
Change your password regularly
Never save your password on your computer
Be careful using your passwords on a computer that isn’t yours
Never tell anyone your security questions
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PAGE 2: Don't Take the Bait - Simple Tips for Online Security
Always check that you are using a secure website. Whenever you are completing forms on the internet
that require a password or security questions, check that it is a https:// website. Also confirm that your browser
displays the padlock next to the website address or in the bottom status bar and that your browser doesn’t tell
you that there is a “Certificate Error”, so no one can listen in on your connection to that website.
“By taking a little extra effort and following the above points, you can ensure that your next chat about phishing
is a tale of the biggest fish you ever caught,” he added.
Established in 1998, Ezidebit offered the first specialised automated Direct Debit and Credit Card transactions
service in Australia and is now recognized as the industry leader.
More information available on request.
For further media information or interviews relating to Ezidebit contact Kath Rose @ Kath Rose & Associates
t: (07) 3357 9054 m: 0416 291 493 or e: kath@kathrose.com
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