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Voice authentication

Voice authentication is a fast and easy way to confirm your identity when you phone us.

Last updated 28 June 2021

You just need to save your voiceprint with us. Your voiceprint is unique to you.

It is the digital representation of the sound, rhythm, physical characteristics and patterns of your voice.

Once you have saved it with us, we confirm your identity by matching the characteristics of your voice to your voiceprint.

Benefits of enrolling your voiceprint

Benefits to saving your voiceprint include:

  • you save time confirming your identity when you phone us
  • you do not need to answer security questions every time you phone us
  • it is a secure way of confirming your identity.

How to enrol

Enrolling your voiceprint is optional. You can choose to enrol your voiceprint the next time you phone us.

The next time you phone us you will be asked to enter your tax file number (TFN) before being invited to enrol your voiceprint.

  1. When prompted, you will be asked to repeat the phrase 'In Australia, my voice identifies me' 3 times. This recording is used to create your voiceprint.
  2. You will then need to establish your identity by providing details of information currently on our records.
  3. Once you have successfully answered these questions, your voiceprint enrolment is complete. You can then use your voiceprint to confirm your identity in future.

If you do not want to register a voiceprint, you can decline.

Secure authentication

Voice authentication is both a reliable and secure way of confirming your identity.

Voice authentication accounts for a variety of factors, such as background noise and changes in a voice.

When you phone us, the voice authentication system we use can verify you even if:

  • you have a cold
  • your voice has aged since your last contact
  • you have an altered emotional state.

We are able to do this by analysing up to 120 characteristics in your voice, such as pitch and tone and how you speak.

By matching these characteristics against the voiceprint you have enrolled with us, we can then accurately confirm your identity.

These, and other additional security elements of voice authentication, make it very difficult for someone else to mimic your voiceprint and access your personal information.

It differs from voice recognition

Voice recognition tries to work out what you have said. Voice authentication analyses the unique characteristics of your voice to confirm who you are.

Delete your voiceprint

You can delete your voiceprint at any time after you enrol. For security reasons, you will need to phone us on 13 28 61External Link and speak to a customer service representative who can help you.

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