At Laboratories Credit Union (LCU), we are committed to supporting our members by providing a safe, reliable, and transparent financial environment. We aim to help our members meet their financial needs while taking reasonable steps to protect them from fraud, scams, and financial harm.
At Laboratories Credit Union (LCU), we are committed to supporting our members by providing a safe, reliable, and transparent financial environment. We aim to help our members meet their financial needs while taking reasonable steps to protect them from fraud, scams, and financial harm.
We recognise that some members may experience vulnerability at various times, for different reasons. Where a member is experiencing vulnerability, we will take additional care to understand their circumstances and provide appropriate support, in line with applicable laws and regulatory guidance.
This includes recognising signs of vulnerability, identifying individual needs, and collecting and recording only the personal information that is appropriate, necessary, and required by law to enable us to provide assistance.
Protecting yourself online has become an essential part of everyday life in Australia, as fraud and scams continue to evolve and become more sophisticated.
LCU manages fraud monitoring and response internally through trained staff and established procedures. While we take reasonable steps to detect and respond to suspected fraud and scams, members also play an important role in protecting their personal and financial information. If you have noticed any unusual transactions where you believe you are the victim of a fraud or a scam, please contact us as soon as possible using the details below.
To help reduce the risk of unauthorised access or fraudulent activity, LCU uses a range of security measures, including:
We encourage all members to stay alert to potential scams. Warning signs may include:
If you believe you have been scammed, contact LCU immediately and report the matter to Police.
When in doubt - hang up and call us directly.
SMS One Time Password
Secure password
Antivirus Protection
Important Reminders
Anyone can experience vulnerability at different times. Vulnerability may be ongoing or temporary and can arise due to personal, financial, health, or social circumstances.
LCU aims to support members experiencing vulnerability in a respectful, confidential, and appropriate manner. We handle personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws. You can choose how much information you share with us, and we will only collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide support.
If vulnerability is affecting your financial wellbeing, you are encouraged to contact us.
You may:
You may also involve a support person or representative of your choosing, where it is safe to do so, to assist you.
If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
This information is provided to help members understand how Powers of Attorney may operate at LCU. It does not replace the terms of the Power of Attorney document, applicable law, or LCU’s Conditions of Use.
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document authorising another person to manage financial affairs in accordance with the terms and limits set out in the document and the applicable State or Territory legislation.
You will need your original, executed Power of Attorney document. Appropriately certified copies may be accepted, subject to LCU’s verification requirements.
LCU does not provide legal advice and cannot assist with preparing a Power of Attorney document.
LCU staff cannot recommend anyone to you.
Attorneys must be identified and verified in accordance with LCU’s “Know Your Customer” (KYC) and legal requirements and may be issued a separate member number.
Attorneys may be provided separate access (for example, Internet Banking or a Visa card), where permitted under the POA and LCU’s policy. Attorneys must not use the member’s Visa card or Internet Banking credentials. Separate access will be issued where applicable.
If this is a joint-to-act agreement, LCU will administer access and transactions in accordance with the document and applicable operational requirements.
Please see our Account Access Facility – Condition of Use document to understand your rights and responsibilities, and how any liability may affect you.
A Power of Attorney may be removed or amended upon receipt of valid written notice and supporting documentation, subject to verification.
Requests to revoke a POA must be made by the member where the member has legal capacity, or in accordance with a court order or applicable legal instrument.
LCU may require:
Changes will take effect once verification is complete. Timeframes may vary depending on the circumstances.
Contact us as early as possible if you are unable to meet your obligations under an LCU credit contract by telling us either verbally or in writing that you are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to meet your obligations.
You do not need to be in arrears to request hardship assistance.
How to contact us
Visit us at Shop 1, 3 Julius Avenue, North Ryde NSW 2113
Call us on 02 9859 0585
Mail PO Box 1967, Macquarie Centre NSW 2113
Email hardship@lcu.com.au
When you contact us, we will work with you to understand your circumstances and discuss available options, including hardship where eligible.
You may choose to have a representative with you for assistance, where appropriate.
We may ask you to provide:
We may request information or documents to help us assess your hardship request.
This may include:
Documents may include:
We will only request information that is reasonably necessary and permitted by law.
We will acknowledge your hardship request as soon as practicable and may request supporting information where required.
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If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may raise a complaint with LCU using the contact details below. We will review your complaint in line with our Internal Dispute Resolution Process.
Visit us at Shop 1, 3 Julius Avenue, North Ryde NSW 2113
Call us on 02 9859 0585
Mail PO Box 1967, Macquarie Centre NSW 2113
Email hardship@lcu.com.au
If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may lodge a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
Website: www.afca.org.au
Email: info@afca.org.au
Telephone: 1800 931 678 (free call)
In writing to: Australian Financial Complaints Authority, GPO Box 3, Melbourne VIC 3001
Depending on your circumstances and eligibility, hardship assistance may include:
Hardship assistance is assessed on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed.
You may wish to seek independent support, such as a financial counsellor, where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Free financial counselling is available through:
If you are experiencing family and domestic violence, including financial abuse, you may contact LCU to discuss support options. You are not required to disclose details you are uncomfortable sharing.
If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
If you are experiencing family and domestic violence, including financial abuse, you may contact LCU to discuss support options.
You are not required to disclose details you are uncomfortable sharing.
If you are experiencing family or domestic violence, including financial abuse, LCU is committed to supporting you. We will respect your privacy, provide confidential assistance, and handle your situation with care and sensitivity.
Where possible, we can connect you with appropriate support services, offer flexible arrangements, and help ensure you have safe access to your accounts
If you require assistance with loan repayments, you may also wish to review our Financial Hardship support options.
If you are in immediate danger, call 000
For assistance:
If you would like to contact an external support service, some available resources include:
For further information: