Privacy Week tips for online tax refunds

Privacy Week tips for online tax refunds

With the increase in online banking, shopping and other everyday activities, during Privacy Week (4-10 May 2014) tax agent NZ Tax Refunds are reminding those keen to get their ‘WooHoo’ to follow a few easy steps.

With 50 per cent of NZ Tax Refund’s users relying on mobile and smart devices to claim their tax returns, some privacy and online safety tips are a helpful reminder.

On mobile devices personal information is more likely to be compromised via device theft or loss of the device so it’s a good idea to take appropriate precautions. Because mobile phones and tablets are smaller and more portable, you’re also more likely to suffer device theft or loss compared to your desktop computer or even laptop.

Here are some helpful tips when using an online tax agent from your smartphone, tablet or computer:

1. Use a registered tax agent.

2. Use a strong password to protect all your mobile devices.

3. Use a strong password when accessing apps and mobile websites, and remember to sign out when finished.

4. Never share your password with others.

5. Read and understand the privacy policies of companies who provide online services.

Tim Brown, chief technology officer and privacy officer at NZ Tax Refunds says the new app has undergone significant testing and security checks prior to its launch in February.

“The WooHoo NZ Tax Refund App utilises Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) to ensure that all information transferred over the app is kept private and secure. No personal data is stored on the mobile app,” said Mr Brown.

The app is free and available on all iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded free from the Apple App or Google Play Stores. WooHoo NZ Tax Refunds app developers utilised PhoneGap to release the app across multiple platforms simultaneously. The average tax refund is $464 and takes less than 60 seconds to process.

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