Financial and Economic Abuse Support
Understanding financial abuse and how to recognise it
Financial abuse is a serious form of domestic and family violence that occurs when an abuser uses money, finances or assets as a means to gain power and control over someone else, with or without their full knowledge and understanding of the situation. Financial abuse can take many forms and can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or background.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, or someone you know, you're not alone. We're here to support you in understanding your options and finding the right resources. At Credit Union SA, we're dedicated to supporting our community and raising awareness about this critical issue. We work with local organisations to provide funds, support and resources to help people impacted by domestic and family violence.
We recognise the impact of financial abuse and want to provide our community the tools to spot the signs and find the support they need.
How to recognise the signs of financial abuse
To determine if you might be experiencing financial abuse, consider these questions:
- Control over finances: Do you have limited access to your bank accounts, or does someone else control your money and how you spend it without your consent?
- Financial information: Are you often kept in the dark about your financial situation, or do you find unexplained withdrawals or debts that you didn’t authorise?
- Economic sabotage: Has someone prevented you from earning money, attending work or school, or accessing educational opportunities?
- Coercive debt: Are you being forced to take out loans or credit under your name which you did not want or understand?'
- Financial threats: Have you been threatened with financial repercussions such as cutting off resources or money as a form of punishment or control?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these, you might be experiencing financial abuse. For more resources and a deeper analysis of your situation, consider visiting MoneySmart's guide on financial abuse.
For those seeking free confidential support related to financial abuse, we recommend calling 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or texting 0458 737 732. These services are independent of Credit Union SA and can provide free advice, counselling and referrals. They also offer options for those who need language assistance.
How financial abuse can happen
Financial abuse can affect anyone and can take place in several ways:
This abuse may occur when a person uses money as a means to gain power and control over a family member or partner. It can overlap with other types of abuse and often occurs alongside physical or emotional abuse. This type of abuse can be subtle, with the abuser gradually taking control over bank accounts, financial transactions and other financial freedoms.
Financial abuse of a disabled person involves the misuse of assets belonging to this person, which can take place with or without their full knowledge or consent. This often restricts access to vital financial resources needed for a disabled person's well-being. Abuse can occur against an individual with a physical and/or mental disability.
Older and elderly people are more vulnerable to financial abuse as they often depend on others for help with financial tasks and decisions. Elder financial abuse typically involves the improper use of an older person’s assets and can occur through fraud, scams, or misuse of Power of Attorney.
People who speak little or no English are at an increased risk of financial abuse within Australia due to difficulties in understanding banking services and products. Often, they trust family or friends to help with language barriers, which can lead to abuse without their full understanding.
What to do if you are experiencing financial abuse
If you suspect or know that you, or someone you know, is experiencing financial abuse, it's important to act quickly to ensure safety and financial independence. Here's how you can take action:
Educational and supportive resources
Below is a collection of emergency, counselling and supportive resources, available to support you.
- Seek confidential help: Contact trusted organisations like 1800 RESPECT and engage with financial counsellors via the National Debt Helpline.
- Secure your financial information: Change passwords and PINs and set up transaction alerts where necessary. Tip: Only change your passwords and PINs on a secure device that the abuser does not have access to.
- Document all financial transactions: Keep records and collect evidence of everything related to your finances. Tip: Store these documents in a secure place that only you can access, such as with a trusted friend or in a safety deposit box.
- Be informed of your traceable usage and stay safe online: Understand how your online activities can be tracked and take steps to protect your privacy. Use incognito or private browsing modes, clear browser history and avoid using shared devices. For further advice on how to stay safe online see our tips here.
- Create a safety plan: A safety plan is your personal strategy for staying safe when living with violence or abuse. Develop a plan that includes securing your financial documents and having emergency funds.
- Legal advice: Seek legal advice and explore options for legal recourse.
How Credit Union SA can support you
We're committed to providing our members access to resources, services and supportive trained staff.
- Our staff receive dedicated training to understand the signs and impacts of financial abuse
- Our Financial Crimes team monitor transactions for our members security, this includes monitoring for signs of financial abuse
- We understand the importance of discretion and confidentiality for all our members
- We offer secure and confidential communication channels
We’re genuinely committed to ensuring our members are safe when using our products. For support, you can contact us by calling us, visiting our branch, making an appointment, or using our Web Chat or Secure Mail.
How to stay safe online and on your phone
When dealing with sensitive situations like financial abuse, taking steps where possible to maintain your privacy online and on your personal devices can be crucial. Here are specific steps you can take, if you are able and it is safe to do so, to manage your digital footprint safely:
Managing your browser history
Keep sensitive items, such as this webpage, out of your browser history as your abuser may be able to monitor your usage. Deleting your entire history may raise suspicion, so we recommend deleting only specific items that may cause issues. Here’s how you can manage it based on your device:
- On your computer: Open Google Chrome and click on the three dots in the upper right corner to access 'History', then click 'History' again. Check the boxes next to the websites you wish to delete and click 'Delete' at the top to remove them.
- On your smartphone or tablet: Open the Chrome app, tap on the three dots in the bottom right corner (iOS) or top right corner (Android), go to 'History', and tap 'Edit'. Select the sites you wish to delete and tap 'Delete'.
- On your Mac computer: Open Safari, click on 'History' in the menu bar and select 'Show All History'. Click on the items you want to delete and press the 'Delete' key on your keyboard.
- On your iPhone or tablet: Open Safari and tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen. Go to the 'History' tab, swipe left on the entries you want to delete and tap 'Delete', or press and hold an entry to bring up a deletion option.
- On your computer: Open Firefox and click on the library button (books icon), select 'History' then 'Manage History'. Right-click on any item you wish to delete and select 'Delete Page'.
- On your smartphone or tablet: Open Firefox and tap the three dots at the bottom right of the screen, select 'History'. Press and hold the history entry you want to remove, then tap 'Delete' from the menu that appears.
General online safety tips
- Change passwords and PINs/access codes when safe: Regularly update your passwords when you are sure it is safe to do so and use strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts to enhance security. A strong password typically includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and is at least 12 characters long. To protect your account, don't use a PIN or passcode that is easy to guess like a birth date or numbers that represent your name.
- Avoid shared devices: For sensitive activities, such as accessing personal accounts or conducting private searches, avoid using shared devices that maybe monitored by others.
- Use incognito mode: When researching sensitive topics, use incognito or private browsing modes. These modes do not save your browsing history, cookies or site data, helping to ensure that no one monitoring your device can see your activities.
Here’s how to open private browsing modes:
- On your computer: Open Google Chrome and click the three dots in the upper right corner. Select "New incognito window."
- On your smartphone or tablet: Tap the app to open it, then tap the three dots and choose "New Incognito tab”.
- On your Mac computer: Open Safari, go to the "File" menu at the top of the screen, and select "New Private Window."
- On your iPhone or tablet: On your iPhone or iPad, open Safari, tap the pages icon at the bottom right, then tap "Private," and tap the "+" button to open a new private browsing tab.
- On your computer: Open Firefox, click the three horizontal bars in the upper right corner, and select "New Private Window."
- On your smartphone or tablet: Open Firefox, tap the mask icon (for private browsing) directly from the main screen or tap the three dots and select "New Private Tab."
For more information, you can visit familyviolencelaw.gov for advice on how to use technology safely.
Safe phone communication
When dealing with sensitive phone calls, such as contacting your bank or financial institution, maintaining safety and confidentiality is crucial, both in everyday interactions and especially in situations involving financial abuse. Here are some practical tips to maintain your safety:
- Use a secure line: Avoid making sensitive phone calls on public or shared phones. Use a personal phone whenever possible to ensure the conversation remains confidential.
- Verify the identity of the caller: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from us, hang up and call us back on 13 8777. This helps prevent your abuser from impersonating our employees.
- Be mindful of your environment: Ensure you're in a private setting before discussing sensitive information. Avoid making these calls in public places where others can overhear your conversation.
- Use headphones with a microphone: This can help keep the conversation private, especially in areas where you might be overheard. It reduces the risk of your voice carrying in public or shared spaces.
- Keep personal information private: Be cautious about sharing personal information such as account numbers, passwords, or PINs over the phone. For your security, keep your unique Credit Union SA access code private. Never, in response to any email, provide your personal or security details, including your Access Code, membership ID or Internet Banking password.
- Document your calls: Keep a secure record of the date, time and purpose of your calls. Note down any important details or actions that need to be followed up. This documentation can be useful if there are any disputes or further actions needed.
- Plan calls carefully: Make important calls at times when you know you will not be interrupted or overheard by your abuser. Use breaks at work, trips to the store or other private opportunities to make these calls.
- Clear call logs: After making sensitive calls, clear your phone’s call history if it is safe to do so. This can help prevent the abuser from seeing that you have contacted your bank or other support services. On most smartphones, open the 'Phone' app, go to the 'Recents' tab, find the call you want to delete, swipe left (iOS) or press and hold (Android), and select 'Delete' or 'Remove from recent calls'.
Confidential online and telephone counselling, information and referral services are available 24/7. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au.
A not-for-profit that supports women impacted by domestic abuse by providing free programs, financial counselling, services, education and grants. Visit zahrafoundation.org.au.
Provides crisis support and suicide prevention services, available 24 hours a day at 13 11 14. Visit lifeline.org.au.
Offers information on depression and anxiety and where to get help, available online or at 1300 224 636.
Offers ongoing support for those who have experienced financial abuse. Interpreter services are available. Contact at 1300 050 150 or email fih@goodshep.org.au.
Helps people with disabilities, along with their families and carers, to find needed support. Available at 1800 643 787 or at www.disabilitygateway.gov.au.
The Indigenous Outreach Program (IOP) works across ASIC to provide culturally appropriate advice and support. Contact 1300 300 630 or email iop@asic.gov.au.
Promotes digital and online skills for older Australians, offering over 150 learning modules and 350 learning activities. Access this resource to enhance digital safety and knowledge. Visit beconnected.esafety.gov.au.
INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW
This article is intended as general information only and has been prepared without taking into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of the reader. Before acting on this information, you should consider its appropriateness, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.