Identity Theft

Larn more nigh steps yous tin can accept to preclude identity theft and manage your identity

What is identity theft?

Identity theft is when someone steals your personal information, such equally your name, commuter's licence number or data of nascence. Criminals typically steal this data in order to thieve money or proceeds other benefits (peradventure a mortgage, a passport or a new phone account) by pretending to be someone else. Identity thieves may fifty-fifty commit crimes in your name.

Once an identity thief has access to your personal information, they could:

  • Open new credit card accounts in your proper name. When the thief makes purchases on the credit cards and leaves the bills unpaid, the negative information tin exist reported to your credit report and could touch on your credit score and your power to get credit in the hereafter

  • Open a banking concern account in your proper name or create simulated debit cards and use them to drain your existing bank accounts

  • Set upwards a phone, wireless internet, or other utility service in your name

  • Try and become a re-create of your Equifax Credit Study

Learn more than:Read MoneySmart'southward tips to help avoid identity fraud

How does identity theft happen?

Identity theft tin happen to anyone. Identity criminals employ many dissimilar methods and are getting more and more sophisticated.

Some common methods of identity theft include:

  • Stealing personal information that has been shared on unsecured websites or public Wi-Fi

  • Using of personal details and payment information provided on social media or services such as online dating

  • Thieving mail articles including documents that may contain personal details such as banking company and credit carte du jour statements and preapproved credit card offers

  • Searching through household or commercial rubbish for documents that may contain personal details such as bank and credit card statements, preapproved credit card offers and tax information

  • The theft of wallets, numberless and purses in order to obtain identification information such as driver'due south licence or Medicare details, credit and debit cards

  • Skimming credit and debit cards via ATMs or EFTPOS terminals. (Skimming refers to stealing the information stored on a credit or debit card's magnetic strip.)

  • Internet scams designed to obtain your personal data, either through phishing emails or spoofing sites designed to replicate cyberbanking and payment sites

  • Filling out alter-of-address forms to divert your mail, which generally contains personal and financial information, to a different accost

  • The use of malicious computer programs such equally malware or spyware to record and transmit your online activeness

  • Telemarketing scams

  • Data alienation past stealing records through hacking into an organisations systems

What should I do if my identity has been stolen?

Identity theft can be a stressful, fourth dimension-consuming and costly experience. Unfortunately, many people don't realise that their identity has been stolen until it's too late to protect their Credit Record. If you lot believe that someone may have used your identity details to fraudulently obtain credit you should deed immediately.

Here are some steps you can have:

  • Request a copy of your Equifax Credit Study to bank check that the information relates to applications for credit that you have in fact made

  • Contact any credit providers listed on your Equifax Credit Report that you practise not know or accept not applied for credit with and so that they can investigate and take advisable and prompt action

  • Contact Equifax (and other credit reporting bodies) to put a ban on your consumer credit information

  • Contact the police force and study the crime

When dealing with a possible identity theft it is important to keep records of the conversations you have and proceed notes, including:

  • name/south of the individual

  • contact number

  • the date you spoke to an organisation

  • details of the conversation

You should also ask questions to the people yous speak to then you lot can sympathize the procedure. Each credit provider may accept their own processes for handling fraud. Note these requirements so you can comply.

Learn more: OAIC fact canvass on fraud and your credit report

What are some steps I tin can take to protect my identity?

To assistance protect your identity, we've put together the post-obit P.R.O.T.East.C.T checklist.

Mail service

  • Reduce the risk of postal fraud by installing a secure mailbox

  • Accommodate for your mail to exist held at the post office whenever yous go away. If you are moving house, arrange for your postal service to exist forwarded and allow companies such as banks, credit card and utility companies know your new address

  • Later on y'all've read important documents and no longer need them, shred them before throwing them out

  • Consider electronic statements, it helps protect the environs equally well

Review

  • Check your depository financial institution accounts each month and investigate whatsoever suspicious activeness, such as pocket-sized payments to unknown companies or people

Online

  • Don't reveal passwords and personal identification information online, such as your birth date, full proper name, mother's maiden proper name or your phone number

  • If you use social media sites like Facebook, make sure your privacy and security settings are updated and then only 'friends' tin can access your page

Rail

  • Regularly check your Equifax Credit Study which you can go for free hither and consider subscription plans from Equifax that includes a Credit alert service, notifying y'all when certain changes are made to your Equifax Credit Report

  • Consider an identity focussed subscription plan from Equifax that includes Identity Watch, a cyber monitoring service. If your personal data is found to exist compromised online you volition exist alerted

Eliminate

  • Shred paperwork containing personal information or business relationship details, including bank and credit carte du jour statements, phone and energy bills

Computer

  • Always employ secure sites when paying for purchases or transferring money online

  • Install security software and keep it updated to protect your computer from hackers, scammers and viruses

  • Never open whatsoever attachments from unreliable sources, or unusual messages or files from people you don't know

Tell

  • Immediately inform your credit providers if y'all notice whatever suspicious action in your fiscal accounts

What steps should I take if I am the victim of a data breach?

If a business that stores your personal data notifies you that it has been the victim of a data breach, it'southward a good idea to check your Equifax Credit Study ASAP which you can obtain for complimentary here. You may also want to consider taking out a subscription plan from Equifax which includes Credit Alerts and Identity monitoring services. Credit alerts tin can provide an early warning if someone tries to utilize for credit in your name. Identity monitoring means you will exist notified if Equifax discovers your personal data is being illegally traded online.

You can also identify a ban on your Credit Report  to help prevent fraudulent accounts being opened in your name. While a ban is in force, credit providers cannot view your Credit Study without your specific written permission.

Acquire more:OAIC fact canvass on information breach guidance for consumers

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