Staying safe online doesn't have to be complicated - here's what matters most

Whether you are a Care Organiser or a Mycare Worker, staying safe online is part of staying safe full stop. This article covers the practical steps you can take to protect yourself and tells you where to go for help if something does not feel right.

1. Be careful about what personal information you share

Only share personal details when you genuinely need to. This means your full address, bank account number, phone number, date of birth and any government ID numbers.

A good rule of thumb: if someone is asking for information that feels like more than they need, pause and ask why. Legitimate connections through Mycare do not require you to hand over sensitive details outside of our platform.

2. Keep communication on the Mycare platform

Mycare has secure, built-in messaging tools. Using them keeps your personal contact details private and means there is a record if anything does go wrong.

If someone asks you to move a conversation off-platform quickly to personal WhatsApp, email or phone, treat this as a possible warning sign. Legitimate users understand and respect the platform. You will exchange telephone numbers with a potential worker at some point so that you can get to know each other better but no personal banking, financial or personal information should be exchanged – it’s all managed through the platform securely.

3. Never share your banking information

Mycare handles all payments through our secure platform. You should never be asked to provide your bank account or credit card details directly to a client or prospective client.

If anyone asks for banking information outside of Mycare's official processes, do not provide it and please contact our care team straight away. 

4. Watch out for unusual payment requests

Scammers often use payment requests to test whether someone will go along with something irregular. Watch out for:

• Offers to pay you in advance before any work has begun
• Requests for you to transfer money to a third party
• Requests for you to manage payments on someone else's behalf
• Overpayments followed by a request to refund the difference
• Urgency - 'You must act now or your account will be closed'
• Poor spelling or odd-looking email addresses
• Links that look unusual when you hover over them
• Requests for passwords - no legitimate organisation will ever ask for your password
• Offers that seem too good to be true

None of these are normal. If this happens, stop the conversation and report it to us.

5. Know how to spot a phishing email or message

Phishing is when scammers send emails or messages that look like they are from a trusted organisation such as your bank, Mycare, a government agency etc and it’s to trick you into giving up your details or clicking a harmful link.

Signs that something might be a phishing attempt:

Not sure if a message is real? Do not click any links. Instead, go directly to the organisation's website by typing the address yourself or call them on a number you find independently.

6. Use strong, unique passwords

Using the same password everywhere means one breach puts everything at risk. CERT NZ recommends:

• Using a long passphrase made up from four or more random words strung together are harder to crack than a short complex password
• Using a different password for every account
• Using a password manager to help you keep track

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds another layer of protection. When it is available on platforms, turn it on.

7. Trust your instincts

If something feels off in an interaction, it probably is. You do not owe anyone an explanation for ending a conversation or reporting a concern. Our care team is here to help, and raising a concern early is always the right call.

Where to get help in New Zealand

New Zealand has excellent, free resources for anyone who has questions about staying safe online or who thinks they may have been targeted:

CERT NZ (New Zealand's government cyber security agency): www.cert.govt.nz

Netsafe (free, confidential online safety advice): www.netsafe.org.nz | Phone: 0508 638 723 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)

Own Your Online (simple cyber security guidance for all New Zealanders): www.ownyouronline.govt.nz

Our care team is always on hand to help you – give them a call on 09 887 9777 or email us at hello@mycare.co.nz