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Westpac Online Guardian.
Online Guardian is our secure fraud detection system developed to help make your online banking experience safer.
How Online Guardian works.
Online Guardian learns your normal online banking activity and will only check your identity if something changes dramatically (like logging-on from a different country, if you reset your password, or are making a large payment to someone you haven’t paid before).
What it does:
- continually monitors online banking for unusual activity.
- identifies unusual transactions.
- when needed, will prompt you to further authenticate your identity by using challenge questions that you’ve set up, or by sending one-time verification codes to you by text: this is called the Online Guardian Challenge Service.
Set up your challenge security questions & register your mobile.
If you’ve been using online banking for a while, you should have your challenge questions already set up on Westpac One®. Recently signed up? You will be able to set-up your questions when you first register.
You can also choose to register your mobile number in Westpac One to receive verification codes by text message. For payments within New Zealand a new phone number will be automatically approved by Online Guardian after 30 days from registration (unless verified in branch or via our call centre). International payments require a further 7 day wait period once your new phone number has been approved by Online Guardian.
We recommend registering your mobile number so that you can continue to bank safely.
Online safety with Westpac.
How to keep your information safe
Follow these steps to help keep you and your money protected when banking online.
Security features and online banking guarantee
Learn about our online security features, Fraud team and how our Online Banking guarantee gives you peace of mind.
How to spot a scam
Be aware of phishing emails, latest scams and security alerts, and what to do next.
Next steps.
Let us know
If you believe you have received a phishing email, you can forward it to us.
Online Guardian FAQs.
Things you should know.
Westpac’s General Terms and Conditions require you to, amongst other things, safeguard your Security Details, notify Westpac immediately of any security breach, and provide all relevant details of any fraudulent activity.