Security tips for your super with Mercer

Protecting your super
 

Your super is a financial asset that you want to protect. Keeping your details safe and being aware of any suspicious activity or communications is a healthy way to prevent your account from being accessed by others who want to steal your identity or take away your financial information.

When you receive communications from us, we will never ask you to provide financial information such as a demand for an urgent payment or credit card information.

If you receive an urgent message requesting payment, we encourage you to share the information by contacting us with a screenshot or copy of the message received. It is important that you don’t click any links or download any attachments.

If you receive a message from us to share your personal information, it will usually be related to an interaction you’ve had with our Helpline team or after filling in an enquiry or application form. Our communications will specify that they come from Mercer Super or Mercer Super Trust.

For messages that are sent on behalf of Mercer, your employer may also send you information related to your corporate superannuation offering.

Signs of communication that is malicious
 

• Demands payment online;
  
• Unnecessary sense of urgency to share personal information outside of a pending application that you have made;
• Requires you to wire transfer money or send gift cards as payment;
• Contains grammatical errors or poor punctuation;
• Requests you to share your access details;
• Comes from an email that is not affiliated with Mercer Super or Mercer Super Trust.

If you are ever not sure about a message you have received and whether it is really from us, you can contact us via our secure platform Member Online or by calling us on 1800 682 525 from 8am-7pm Monday to Friday (AEST/AEDT).

Tips to protect your super online
 

• Never share your Member Online password or information with anyone else;
• Maintain a strong password using multiple characters including a mix of numbers, lowercase, uppercase letters and special characters like ! or ~ at random - which don’t use public information that can be guessed by others;

• Avoid using personal details in your password like your name or birthday;

• Don’t make your password, the word ‘password’;

• Avoid using the same password for different accounts (e.g. use separate passwords for your email account and Member Online account);

• Update your password regularly; 

• Keep your devices and Mercer Super app up to date;

• Access your account using a secure internet connection, and avoid using free public Wi-Fi networks to access logins;
• Use different passwords for other products and services and regularly update them. You can use a tool like LastPass to help you remember them;
• Protect your phone or tablet device with a passcode;
• Never open any suspicious attachments or links on your devices which can contain malicious spyware or viruses that can steal your information. You can hover over links on a computer to reveal if the link is the same or hiding another web address;
• Look for the secure padlock on websites which shows that the connection is encrypted by a secure-socket layer (SSL) certificate; 
• Make sure your contact details are up to date with us so we have the right details to get in touch with you if we spot anything suspicious.
  
  

Ways to prevent identity theft

Scammers target people online and offline to misuse their identity and obtain financial information.

You can reduce the likelihood of identity theft and protect your super account by:

• Securing your home’s letterbox to prevent mail from being stolen;
• De-identifying or shredding documents that contain personal information before discarding them;
• Being wary of cold callers that are seeking information about your personal, banking or other financial information, especially your online access details;
• Taking care with the personal information you share on social media;
• Notifying us immediately of any change to your name, address or other contact details.
  
  

What to do if you receive a suspicious communication

If you receive a suspicious communication, make sure to screenshot or record its details.

Do not open any attachments or click any links as this may expose your risk.

Take a screenshot with your device, or if on a phone call, record the number (if possible) that rang you.

Then contact us via Member Online or by calling us on 1800 682 525 from 8am-7pm Monday to Friday (AEST/AEDT) with the details so we can investigate further.

If you have provided access details to someone who you believe is suspicious, we recommend you change this urgently by logging into your account and updating your password. You should still notify us of this event.

How to report suspicious super access or activity

If you believe your account has been accessed by someone suspiciously or can see account activity that you don’t recognise, then it’s best to contact us immediately on 1800 682 525 from 8am-7pm Monday to Friday (AEST/AEDT) or via Member Online.

Additional resources

You can find more information about identity fraud and scams at the following websites:

• ASIC’s MoneySmart website
• ACCC’s Scamwatch website