What to do if your bank account has been hacked
- Freeze or block your card. Many mobile banking apps and Internet banking portals have a card-freezing feature which allows you to temporarily freeze or block your debit card from making transactions. If you can do this with your account, do this right away to prevent any further purchases by the hacker.
- Notify the bank. Call you bank and tell them you suspect your account has been hacked. If you haven't already done so, they'll be able to freeze your account to prevent further purchases.
- Block pending transactions. The bank may also be able to block any purchases that are still pending, so check your transaction history for pending purchases made by the hacker.
- Check your other accounts. It's a good idea to check your other accounts if you have any (e.g. joint bank accounts, credit cards) to make sure these haven't been hacked as well. For extra safety, update your account passwords and/or PINs.
How will you know if you’ve been hacked?
Strange purchases that appear on your bank statement may be the first clue that a hacker has got into your account. Make a habit of checking your transaction history regularly in your mobile banking app, or ready your bank statements.
Sometimes the people that steal your card will make seemingly insignificant purchases to test and see if your card works before going to larger transactions. So make sure you don't disregard any small transactions that you don't remember making - these could be by a hacker.
For larger purchases, your bank may notify you of suspicious activity and automatically cancel fraudulent charges.
Will you get your money back if your bank account was hacked?
There is no guarantee that you will get your money back. You're more likely to get it back if you can prove you weren't in any way at fault and didn't authorise the transaction.
However, if you've been careless with your account, or fallen for an online scam where you authorised the transaction yourself, you may not be eligible for a refund.
If you were not at fault and you inform the bank right away when you notice the money missing you do have a good chance of getting it back.

"A few years ago I noticed in my mobile banking app that someone had made a $3,000 transaction from my account. The transaction was for a dress shop that I had never visited.
I called my bank right away and they were able to block the transaction and send the money back to me. Luckily I saw the transaction while it was still pending, otherwise it would have been harder for the bank to reverse the transaction. Now I check my bank transaction history every few days as a habit."
Ensure your account is not vulnerable
Most banking websites allow you to activate a feature called "remember your password" when you log in via the Internet. You can then skip several layers of security the next time you log in since the bank recognises your computer’s IPv4 address - a unique identifier for each Internet connection.
But malware is a tool that hackers use to imitate your IPv4 address so they can gain access to your bank account. Often you don't even know that they have control over your bank account. For this reason, it’s best to disable the “remember your password” feature.
If you've been hacked, it's also a good idea to change all your online passwords and login details, and also your PIN for your mobile banking app and debit card.
Beware of social engineering
Email software is pretty good at getting rid of spam the majority of the time, however, you may see something that resembles an official bank email that asks you to go to the bank's website to confirm your information. In reality, this could be a scam and the hacker has designed a site that mimics your bank's website. If something like this happens to you, don't enter your details such as a password unless you're sure it's a secure website.
You can often verify a website's validity since the Internet monitors the security certificate of that said website, so your mind can be at ease.
Similarly, you should never respond to a text message claiming to be from your bank asking you to click on a link or provide your bank account details. If you're ever not sure, the best thing to do is cal you bank and check if the message is from them.
Finder survey: Which age groups experience the most card fraud in Australia?
Response | Gen Z | Gen Y | Gen X | Baby Boomers |
---|---|---|---|---|
No - I have never experienced card fraud | 53.93% | 58.97% | 59.21% | 58.24% |
Yes - on my debit card | 22.47% | 13.86% | 10.86% | 8.24% |
Yes - on my credit card | 20.22% | 21.2% | 26.32% | 31.53% |
Yes - on both a debit card and a credit card | 3.37% | 5.98% | 3.62% | 1.99% |

"If you notice any errors or suspicious activity or believe you have become a victim of identity theft, you should make a report with the Australian Cyber Security Centre... Your report will be directly referred to the appropriate state or territory law enforcement agency."
⚠️ Visit the Australian Cyber Security Centre website to report an issue now.
Have you been hacked while overseas?
If you believe you have fraudulent transactions on your debit card – whether the transactions came from overseas, or you're currently overseas – you will definitely need to block the card and lodge a dispute investigation. Before you go on holiday, it's always handy to have a list of phone numbers on hand in case of issues like this. Otherwise, a simple Google search should be able to find you the right number. If your bank finds the transaction to be fraudulent, it will most likely refund the money.
Before you go overseas make sure to let you bank know what country you'll be in and when, so they can keep an eye on any suspicious transactions that are made elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask a question
6 Responses
More guides on Finder
-
Australian debit card statistics
Explore how the typical Australian uses their debit card in our detailed guide to debit card statistics.
-
How many bank accounts should I have?
It's common to have a few different bank accounts that each have a different purpose. Here's how you may benefit from having multiple bank accounts and the traps to avoid.
-
PayID: What it is and how can I set one up?
PayID allows you to transfer money in real-time without entering your recipients BSB and account number. Read this guide to learn about the benefits of PayID and how to set it up.
-
How do I get a virtual debit card?
What are virtual debit cards, how do they work and what benefits do they offer? Find out here.
-
How to transfer money using a phone number
Some banks allow you to send money using someone's phone number instead of a BSB and Account Number. If your bank doesn't have this feature you can usually use PayID instead - here's how.
-
Travel debit cards to use overseas
A travel debit card is just a regular Australian debit card with less international fees an charges, making it a great option to use overseas. See a range of debit cards suited for travel in this guide.
-
Debit cards with rewards and benefits
With a rewards debit card in your wallet, you can earn points or get cash back while using your own money.
-
Best bank accounts in Australia
The best bank account will help you manage your everyday spending with low fees and easy access to your money. Check out our Top Picks curated by experts.
-
Compare debit cards
When used wisely, a debit card provides you with great flexibility when it comes to handling your everyday financial needs.
Hi Alison I was hacked in 2020 my bank AMP said they won’t give me my 9,999 00 back.
What can I do?
Hi Beth,
Sorry to hear that you’re a victim of hacking. It would be best to contact your bank to know the reason why your claim is denied. It would also help to read their terms and conditions.
Thanks,
Alison
somehow someone gained access to my bank account has made 3 unauthorized and fraudulent Osko transactions, of course it is after banking hours, ive made contact, changed my details and had the account blocked. But now I am left to wait and stay up all night fearing the absolute worst……is there anything else i can do, have i lost all the money, can i get it back or is it gone.
Hi Mike,
We are very sorry to hear about the ordeal you’ve gone through. You’ve done the right thing by contacting your bank and blocking the account right away.
Banks will generally be liable to recover your lost money if you can prove that the unauthorised transaction didn’t occur because of an error on your part. For example, if you haven’t kept your account PIN and passwords secure the bank might not be liable to recover your money. You’ll need to work with your bank directly on this.
In the meantime, we recommend changing your passwords and PINs for any other accounts you have open, just in case.
Thanks, and we hope you’re able to get your money back.
Alison
Is money get back in your account after hacking?
Hi Sowjanya,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Typically, if a hacker steals any funds from a bank, the bank is liable to pay the money back to the customer. The customer will never lose money. If you experienced a hacking issue please coordinate immediately with your bank provider to settle your concern.
I hope this information has helped.
Cheers,
Harold