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Tag: Attorney-General Robert McLelland

  • Bill to fight global cybercrime coming in New Year

    The war on global cybercrime and identity theft continues…

    The Government’s Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 is set to be passed through the Senate in the New Year, according to reports from The Australian Newspaper ‘Australia to join global anti-cybercrime fight’ today.

    Attorney-General Robert McClelland told a Council of Europe meeting yesterday in France that the Government’s Cybercrime Bill will have the “endorsement of Parliament in the new year,”

    “For our part, there is no doubt that once Australia has taken the necessary steps to provide for accession to the Convention on Cybercrime, we will be better placed to take on the challenge globally,” he said in a keynote address.

    “Our domestic laws will criminalise more nefarious cyber activity and give our crime fighters the right modern tools.

    “Information required to prosecute cyber criminals will be protected from destruction whilst law enforcement agencies seek warrants for its access,” he says.

    Back in June we blogged about this Bill, ‘Government brings in new laws in war against cyber-crime and identity theft’ following the Government’s signing of the cybercrime treaty in May, and as it made swift changes to some of Australia’s laws to allow the Bill to be passed and implemented with ease. The changes were seen as a necessary response to the growing threat of cybercrime and the global nature of the crime.

    Australia will be joining the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, of which more than 40 nations have already signed or become a party to the Convention, including the USA, UK, Canada, Japan and South Africa.

    The Convention allows countries to co-operate in investigations to deal with international crimes committed on computer networks, such as online fraud.

    The Bill will also give Australian police greater powers to force internet service providers to retain data of customers who are suspected to have committed a cybercrime while the matter is being investigated.

    The convention has been criticised by some such as Kapersky Lab’s CEO Eugene Kapersky, who says if non-European, non-English speaking countries will not “join the club” there will be failure.

    “Do you think it’s real that if a government computer in Russia is infected, that they will let the US in? Or that the White House will let Russia in? And then China or Latin America? Forget about it,” Kaspersky told SC Magazine.
    “It hasn’t worked in 10 years.”

    Instead, Mr Kaspersky advocates the need for an “internet Interpol” to manage international crime investigations and liaise with national police forces.

    Currently there appears to be great difficulty in investigating and prosecuting international cybercrime rings –especially in respect to online fraud cases. Much of the internet-generated identity theft is not initiated on Australian shores. The worldwide web provides easy international access, meaning elaborate schemes intended to commit identity fraud can be generated from any country and impact ordinary Australians.

    In fact, current advice about overseas scams on the government’s SCAMWatch website is almost a disclaimer for failure to prosecute perpetrators of overseas scams:

    “due to the ‘fly by night’ nature of many scammers, it is extremely difficult to track them down and take action against them. Though it depends on the circumstances of each case, the ACCC may not be able to take action or enforce Australian Court orders against the many scammers that are based outside of Australia.” the SCAMWatch website explains.

    Anything which increases the likelihood of accountability for identity theft and fraud as it relates to the global market should be seen as a positive step, as would the implementation of some of Kapersky’s ideas.

    One thing which is certain is we can never rest on our laurels. Constant monitoring and improvement needs to continue and be pushed for to keep up with the vast array of changes technology and the crime that ultimately follows it.

    For more information on identity theft related to credit files, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs tollfree on 1300 776 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: digitalart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Australia’s identity theft prevention improving

    It seems the nation has ramped up its focus on identity theft. We are more fearful of this crime than we are of a terrorist attack, and this is due in part to recent global data breaches which have directly affected the security of Australians. It is also due to the long lasting effects of identity theft and the difficulties that can ensue with our credit rating.

    Improvements occurred to our national strategy on identity theft this week, with the Attorney-General, Robert McLelland announcing two more states have signed on to the Government’s national Document Verification Service (DVS). This service allows authorised government agencies to cross-check identity documents to prevent identity theft or fraud.

    Identity theft occurs when someone uses our personal details without our knowledge for the purposes of fraud. It is occurring more readily than ever with the mass use of technologies such as the internet, social networking, i-phones and credit cards.

    Nowadays we conduct so much of our financial and personal business online and via our phones. When we shop online – we give over passwords, personal details and credit card details. When we want to catch up with someone, we do it via Facebook or Twitter – giving over details like where we are, who we’re with, when we are away from home.

    The reason we do all of this is because it is so darn convenient and fun. Our relationships can change, improve. Sometimes jumping online to pay our bills or pick up some birthday presents can be the only way we have time to get those things done nowadays.

    Unfortunately, it is also a convenient way fraudsters can extract details which may be used in order to set up fake identification in our name. Criminals may only need a small amount of very precise information about us to go about requesting ‘replacement’ copies of our documentation, or to create a fake document that can all be used to obtain credit in our name.

    Apart from the initial monies which may be lost due to fraud, the major consequence of identity theft is the destruction of our credit rating. A bad credit rating means most people are black listed from obtaining mortgages, personal loans, credit cards and even mobile phone plans for the term of the listing which is 5-7 years. Any way the Government can improve its system to protect people from this kind of fraud should be well received.

    This week, Victoria and Western Australia joined the rest of Australia in using the DVS, which Mr McLelland says will allow documents commonly used as proof of identity to be quickly checked electronically by the issuing agency.

    “For example, if you are using your Australian Passport as proof of identity to apply for a copy of a NSW Driver License, the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority will now be able to instantly verify the authenticity of the passport with the Australian Passport Office.  This ensures that documents haven’t been cancelled or personal information falsified.” Mr McLelland says.

    He says the purpose of the DVS is purely to allow authorities to verify document authenticity, and no information will be retained on any central database.

    “A number of State and Territory and Commonwealth Government agencies are already using the system. It’s already possible to verify the validity of Australian-issued passports, visas, and birth certificates and driver licenses from other States and Territories through the DVS,” he says.

    However, according to a recent article by CRN Magazine’s Liz Tay, an audit conducted last year by the Australian National Audit Office found the $28.3 million service had “significant problems” and was rarely used.

    “Auditors reported that the DVS performed less than ten transactions a day – well under initially expectations of one million a day – and was weighed down by issues with timeliness and accuracy,” the article says.

    This comes as the Government released results from an identity theft survey last week which showed 1 in 6 Australians have been or know someone who has been a victim of identity theft or misuse in the past 6 months.

    Let’s hope the government takes the necessary steps to improve its system to ensure it is genuinely going to make progress in the fight against this ever-growing war on identity crime.

    Suspect identity theft? Visit the MyCRA Credit Repairs website for help with what to do and how to repair your credit rating following identity theft.

    Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Australia part of ‘Quintet’ of nations meeting to discuss cyber-crime

    Identity theft is proving to be the new wave of crime, and the worst part of it is – it hits twice, once when the initial fraud takes place, and secondly when the victim’s credit rating – their good name, is tarnished, leaving them unable to take out credit for up to 5 years.

    Cyber-crime is now such a serious global threat – to individuals, businesses and governments that nations will continue to join together in its fight.

    Discussions on cyber-crime are being held in Sydney later this week with Attorneys-General from Australia, the U.S. and their counterparts in the U.K., Canada and New Zealand attending.

    The ‘Quintet’ as it is termed, will meet 14-15 July, and will focus on joint and cooperative actions that can be taken to address the growth of international cyber threats. This is the first time the U.S. Attorney General has been to Australia in several decades.

    Australian Attorney-General, Robert McLelland says fighting cyber-crime is a global task.

    “It is a complex policy and law enforcement challenge because of its transnational nature and use of rapidly evolving technology.

    “The global nature of cyber crime is such that no nation alone can effectively combat the problem, making international cooperation and engagement essential components of an effective response.”

    “That’s why renewed international vigilance is such a priority for all five countries,” he says.

    This meeting also follows the recent introduction into Australian parliament of the Cyber-crime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011. Swift changes to Australia’s laws were made late last month, in order to bring them in to line with the other 40 countries which have joined the European Convention on Cybercrime.

    Increased episodes of cyber-attacks and cyber espionage have sparked these changes, and have prompted many countries to increase their vigilance in what has now been termed a ‘war’ against cyber-crime.

    “In the last six months alone, Australia’s Computer Emergency Response Team has alerted Australian business to more than a quarter of a million pieces of stolen information such as passwords and account details, allowing them to rectify and protect against potential attacks,” Mr McLelland said when announcing the new legislation in June.

    Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the country, according to the Australian Crime Commission. In addition, an identity theft survey released by the Government last week showed that 1 in 6 people have been a victim, or know somebody who has been a victim of identity theft or misuse in the past six months. The majority of identity theft or misuse
    occurred over the Internet (58 per cent), or through the loss of a credit or debit card (30 per cent).  Stolen identify information was primarily used to purchase goods or services (55 per cent) or to obtain finance, credit or a loan (26 per cent).

    Those are frightening statistics for ordinary individuals who are trying to navigate the cyber-world. To know governments are running up hill trying to catch these crooks and prevent cyber-attacks in their own offices – leaves little hope for those who may not be so computer savvy in trying to protect themselves against identity theft.

    The problem with identity theft is, often it goes undetected until people go to apply for credit and are flatly refused due to blemishes on their credit file they did not initiate. Unfortunately when a creditor places a default on a person’s credit file, it remains there for 5 years, greatly hindering someone’s chances of obtaining further credit. Some are even unable to take out a mobile phone plan.

    Keeping identity theft at bay online

    Education and action are the winning combinations in preventing cyber-crime at home and its corresponding evils – identity theft, identity fraud and credit file destruction.

    Here are some quick tips to help people protect themselves and their credit rating:

    1. Keep virus software up to date. Install automatic updates and perform
    regular virus scans.

    2. Keep privacy settings secure on all social networking sites.

    3. Change passwords regularly and use a variety of passwords for different purposes.

    4. Check all credit card and bank statements each time they come in.

    5. Do not give over personal information or credit card details online unless the site is secure, and company details can be verified.

    6. Be aware of who gets our personal information and for what purposes. What can these people do with the information they are gathering? For instance, is it really necessary for the site we are registering on to have our date of birth?

    7. Visit the government’s stay smart online website, and sign up for alerts.

    8. Check our credit file for free every 12 months. By requesting a copy of our
    credit file from one or more of the major credit reporting agencies,Veda Advantage, Dun & Bradstreet and Tasmanian Collection Service (TASCOL) we can be aware of any discrepancies which may need to be investigated. Often it is only through a credit check which comes back with defaults on our credit file do we realise we have been victims of identity theft.

    9. Report any incident of identity theft, no matter how small, or even if we have been reimbursed for the damage – to the Police. The more of us who report identity theft, the more effective will be our Government and Police response to it in the future.

    For people who are already identity theft victims, it can be difficult to navigate the current credit reporting system to have the offending defaults removed from their credit file.

    MyCRA Credit Repairs can completely remove defaults from credit files that have errors, are unjust or just shouldn’t be there.

    Visit MyCRA for more help with credit rating repair following identity theft.

    Image: jscreationz / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Government survey reveals our fears of identity theft

    A Governement survey on identity theft reveals 9 out of 10 Australians are concerned or very concerned about identity theft and misuse. Rightly so, considering the grave danger it poses to a victim’s financial future through destroying their good credit rating.

    The identity theft survey, details of which were released by Attorney-General Robert McLelland, was an independent survey of 1200 people conducted by Di Marzio Research.

    It also showed that 1 in 6 people have been a victim or known somebody who has been a victim of identity theft or misuse in the past six months.

    The majority of identity theft or misuse occurred over the Internet (58 per cent), or through the loss of a credit or debit card (30 per cent).  Stolen identify information was primarily used to purchase goods or services (55 per cent) or to obtain finance, credit or a loan (26 per cent).

    Current statistics from the Australian Crime Commission, points to identity theft possibly costing the Australian economy $1 billion per year. The other cost that’s not so widely reported is the expense to the many credit files that occurs as a result. People have their lives put on hold with credit rating defaults they are not responsible for, stopping them from obtaining most credit for up to five years.

    More and more of MyCRA’s clients have been through the ringer attempting to have black marks removed from their credit file due to identity theft. They are often unable to obtain even a mobile phone in their name if their credit file contains defaults and it need not be large-scale fraud to amount to a finance decline.

    This survey follows the Government’s introduction of new legislation the ‘Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011’ into Parliament last week, which amends several current laws in order to comply with the only international treaty on cybercrime. This was an attempt to come up to speed with other countries in the fight to tackle an international wave of cyber-attacks.

    Once an account remains unpaid past 60 days, the debt may be listed by the creditor as a default on a person’s credit file. Under current Australian legislation, defaults have to remain listed on the victim’s credit file for a 5 year period.

    What is not widely known is how difficult credit repair can be – even if the individual has been the victim of identity theft. Unfortunately there is no guarantee defaults can be removed from their credit file. The victim has to provide copious amounts of documentary evidence to prove the fraud.

    How does my credit file get affected?

    It begins by fraudsters gaining access to a victim’s account details, or personal details. This then allows them to access the victim’s good credit rating.

    Often the victim is unaware their information has been stolen until they apply for credit and are flatly refused. Generally, by the time police become involved, a client may have credit applications as a minimum and possibly defaults, mortgages and mobile phones already attributed to them incorrectly.

    Once an account remains unpaid past 60 days, the debt may be listed by the creditor  Australian legislation, defaults have to remain listed on the victim’s credit file for a 5 year period.

    What is not widely known is how difficult credit repair can be – even if the individual has been the victim of identity theft. Unfortunately there is no guarantee defaults can be removed from their credit file. The onus is on the victim to prove their case and provide copious amounts of documentary evidence.

    What can I do to prevent identity theft?

    In order for people to prevent identity theft affecting their credit rating, the best defence they can take is to get educated. They should learn how their personal information can be put at risk, aiming to keep their personal information as secure as possible, both online and off. They should change passwords regularly, conduct regular virus software updates, and be wary of providing unnecessary information to companies online, just to name a few ways. As instances like the Sony PlayStation  data breach shows, people relying on other companies to do it for them can often result in vulnerability to fraud.

    People should also educate themselves on the latest scams that are going around, whilst also keeping an eye on what’s happening with their credit file, being alert to any changes which may occur.

    People can contact one or more of the major credit reporting agencies, Veda Advantage, Dun and Bradstreet and Tasmanian Collection Services (TASCOL) to request a free copy of their credit file. With Veda Advantage, they can also for a fee, sign up to Veda’s Alert system, which notifies the credit file holder of any changes which occur to their account within a 12 month period.

    If people find they are victims of identity theft, probably the best way to go about removing defaults is to enlist the help of a credit rating repairer, who can negotiate with creditors on their behalf, giving them the best possible chance of having the defaults removed completely from their credit file.

    Contact MyCRA Credit Repairs for more details.

    Image: Louisa Stokes/FreeDigitalPhotos.net