• How it works
• When do we require MFA
• When calling us to change personal or account information 
• When logging in to My Account
• Important

How it works

Multi-factor authentication uses two or more security measures to help confirm your proof of identity. At TPG, we use a combination of account or personal information, followed by a one-time passcode sent via SMS to the mobile number of the account holder or an authorised representative.

At TPG, multi-factor authentication is used when a customer contacts us to access or change personal or account information. This is to help ensure someone isn’t trying to access your information or make changes to your account without your permission.

While there’s never any guarantee of complete protection from scams, using MFA is the best way to help keep your account information secure.

When do we require MFA

When calling us to change personal or account information 

• In addition to our standard ID check, we will ask to confirm a one-time passcode sent via SMS to the mobile number of the account holder or an authorised representative.

When logging in to My Account

• After logging into My Account, customers will be required to enter a one-time passcode sent via SMS to the mobile number of the account holder or an authorised representative. 

Important

At TPG, we only ever use One-Time Passcodes when you have contacted us. If you receive a phone call, SMS or email from anyone claiming to be from TPG and they are asking you to authenticate your account or provide a One-Time Passcode, never give it to them.

If you suspect you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your financial institution immediately.

If you ever have any concerns about the security of your TPG account, please do not hesitate to contact us.

• Accessing age-appropriate material
• Parental Control features in modems (and why they're no longer recommended)
• Unwanted contact from strangers
• Maintaining privacy
• Cyberbullying
• In-app charges
• Computer viruses

Accessing age-appropriate material

Making sure your child only has access to age-appropriate material online can be a difficult task. It’s a good idea to chat with your children and encourage them to come to you if they see imagery or content that worries or upsets them.

If you have children of different ages, it’s best to remind older children that certain websites and apps may not be suitable for their younger siblings.

You might consider using online parental controls, monitoring apps and family friendly filters. There are apps that track the websites that your child visits and they can also block dedicated sites that you consider inappropriate. The Communications Alliance has great advice for family friendly filters.  

If any apps or filters require the MAC Address of your child's device, these guides will help you find it:

• Find MAC Address on Windows
• Find MAC Address on macOS
• Find MAC Address on Android OS
• Find MAC Address on iPhone or iPad: Turn off Private Wi-Fi (if applicable), then open Settings and go to General > Settings > About. The "Wi-Fi address" is the MAC address.

Parental Control features in modems (and why they're no longer recommended)

In the past, parents may have used Parental Control features in their modem settings to block access to certain websites and/or keywords. This approach is no longer recommended as it's ineffective due to these reasons:

• Parental Controls will not work if the child's device is not accessing the internet directly through your modem via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. This includes mobile data, mesh Wi-Fi networks and public Wi-Fi.
• Parental Controls may not work as expected if the child's device which use a VPN encrypted connection or other security software, or if the child's device already has content from the blacklisted websites in its browsing cache.
• Parental Controls are not effective on websites using HTTPS, a type of encryption that is now used by most websites.

Unwanted contact from strangers

Social media apps can provide the ability for your children to network and to keep in touch with their peers. But they also attract unwanted contact from strangers.

If your child is contacted by a stranger, encourage them to come to you immediately. They shouldn’t respond to the stranger no matter how tempting it might appear.

Maintaining privacy

Sharing of private information online can be necessary but it’s important that your children are aware of when to share and when not to share private information.

It’s a good idea to chat with your children to explain the importance of keeping personal information off the internet. Set boundaries and rules, especially for younger children as their online reputation can follow them through life.

Cyberbullying

No longer is bullying confined to the playground. With the advent of the internet, a child could be bullied from whenever they have access to the internet. Cyberbullies may act anonymously and can inflict significant emotional trauma on a child in their bedroom – a place that should be the safest of all.

It’s important to talk to your children about cyberbullying and to make them aware of how to identify cyberbullying when it occurs. Tell your child that they should never respond to a cyberbully. Encourage your child to come to you immediately if they feel that they’ve been targeted.

In-app charges

Many apps, particularly free online games, generate revenue through what’s known as in-app purchases. Sometimes you may not even know that a particular action in a game involves money.

It’s best to ensure that your debit/credit card details aren’t saved on the device so that you aren’t charged if your child inadvertently makes an in-app purchase.

Computer viruses

Computer viruses and malware can be spread through what it seems like an innocent email or attachment.

Teach your children to be wary of emails that are unfamiliar or that they’re not expecting. Some emails use popular logos and brand names – be cautious of opening and downloading anything that doesn’t seem completely legitimate.

Always use virus protection software on all devices connected to your home network.