Be scam aware: Optus customer data breach

The BUSSQ fraud prevention and security teams are aware of the data breach involving Optus customer information and are monitoring the situation. 

Keeping our members’ accounts and personal information safe remains a top priority. Members should take some comfort knowing that BUSSQ has a range of security protocols and processes in place.

There has been no impact to our systems as a result of this data breach, and members should not be concerned about their accounts and personal information.

For BUSSQ members that hold an account with Optus, it’s advised that you contact Optus directly via their My Optus App or by calling 133 937 for instructions about the actions that you should take or if you have any concerns.

If you are still concerned and wish to speak with one of our team at BUSSQ, simply call us on 1800 692 877. Please note that to protect our members and their accounts, we have increased the security measures on incoming calls.

As a precaution, during this time it’s recommended to be extra vigilant, look out for potential scam and fraudulent activity, and avoid engaging with unsolicited emails and SMSs. To protect yourself, it’s also recommended that you use multi-factor authentication or two factor authentication on as many services as possible, and update passwords on key financial and email accounts.

How to protect yourself from scams? 

Unfortunately, each year Australians continue to lose millions of their hard-earned dollars to scammers. In 2021, Scamwatch received reports of losses totalling over $323 million and the true cost is likely much higher with about one third of those scammed never reporting it¹.

So, being aware of potential scams and fraudulent activity is crucial but we know at times it can be difficult to recongise. A few signs to look out for include:

• If there is a problem or a prize
• If you’re being pressured to act quickly
• If what you’ve received has errors or looks poor quality
• If you’re being asked to pay in a specific way

There are some things you can do to help protect yourself from scams including:

• Keep your personal details secure, protect your passwords, and be careful how much you share online
• Access your online accounts through a trusted bookmark or by typing in the web address
• Check website addresses in suspicious emails or texts – fake websites may have very similar addresses with an extra dot, slash or letter included
• Check the business contacting you is legitimate. Here is a handy guide from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission website.

If you feel concerned about fraudulent activity and wish to speak with one of our team at BUSSQ, simply call us on 1800 692 877. 

^1: Scamwatch, scam statistics for 2021.