MyCRA Specialist Credit Repair Lawyers

Tag: AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION

  • Identities at risk in the Australia Post system

    Identity theftIn the news this week it was revealed that Australia Post customers have been exposed to identity theft. On Monday a Sydney Postal Centre worker was found guilty on four charges of mail theft. The worker was caught stealing credit cards and other sensitive information for criminal contacts. Investigators are unable to say how many people’s confidential details had been compromised, having only recovered four letters. We feature this story in full from news.com.au, and look deeper at identity theft, what criminals have to gain from it, and how you and your credit file may be at risk.

    By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

    An Australian Government survey on identity theft, released in June 2011 by then Attorney-General Robert McLelland, revealed 1 in 6 Australians have been a victim or know someone who has been a victim of identity theft. Identity theft can happen to anyone, and it seems even if you have no Facebook account, only a minimal online presence, answer no scam phone calls and don’t unnecessarily reveal your personal information, you can still be at risk, just by your mail being compromised.

    This recent news story illustrates how easily this can occur:

    Australia Post customers at risk of identity theft after sorter stole credit cards for criminal contacts

    AUSTRALIA Post customers have been left exposed to potential scams and identity theft after a worker at a Sydney postal centre was caught stealing credit cards and other sensitive information for criminal contacts.

    Investigators are unable to say how many people’s confidential details disgraced night sorter Morris John Lilio compromised, with only four letters he lifted recovered.

    The 60-year-old had been working at the Waterloo facility since 2008 when he was nabbed on camera sneaking out eastern suburbs residents’ mail in August.

    CCTV footage of his early-morning shifts revealed him repeatedly looking around the facility before slipping mail into his jacket sleeves and leaving the building for his morning break.

    On the day he was arrested police seized several letters – one of which had a credit card inside it – all addressed to one Woollahra household hidden in a Gregory’s street directory inside a colleague’s parked car.

    Detectives also found a series of text messages on Lilio’s two mobile phones, including some from earlier in the morning when officers swooped on the thief.

    “If you ever want the guy’s signature he can get that also,” one message said, listing a man’s birthdate and phone number. “He said if he could get two really good GE (Money) or GO. Also can you please look out for tax return cheques.”

    In an earlier message Lilio wrote: “That’s all I could get this morning. 2 and u got both. But send one of girls 2 pick up.”

    “No good, reported stolen,” he was messaged back.

    Lilio told police that people had asked him to do “things I don’t want to do” after he got involved with drugs, but he denied acting on their demands for stolen mail.

    He later claimed in court that any letters seen in his jacket got there by mistake when he was putting it on for his break. But in Central Local Court last week, magistrate Mark Buscombe said Lilio’s explanation that letters had repeatedly got stuck in his clothes accidentally was “fanciful”.

    He found Lilio guilty on four charges of mail theft, adding the former Australia Post worker had told police a series of lies and the text messages clearly showed he had been stealing mail for others based on the details they sent him.

    Police admitted the bulk of the mail Lilio stole was never found and it was not known who he had passed the confidential material to.

    Australia Post spokeswoman Melanie Ward said the organisation had a “zero-tolerance” to mail-security breaches and any workers implicated were immediately sacked, although she would not say what screening processes Australia Post had in place for its staff.

    Lilio is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

    Organised crime and Identity theft

    The typical identity theft victim is an ordinary person, who just happens to have fallen prey to the vast criminal network which exists on the internet or elsewhere.

    A leading commentator on technology issues, Stilgherrian warned people of the intricacies of identity theft in the modern age in his article ‘The real cyber criminals are no lolling matter’:

    “First, these crimes are committed on a vast scale. Criminal processes are orchestrated globally, automated, and supported by thousands of unwitting, disposable minions. If only a tiny percentage of people fall for scams, we’re still talking millions of dollars.

    Second, the bad guys are good at this. Really good. Blaming the victims is inappropriate. “They had it coming to them”? Really? Third, it all connects up. Fifty bucks went missing from your credit card precisely because the number had been stolen from a poorly-secured online store. The legitimate website popped up the message from the fake anti-virus product because it, too, was poorly secured and had been hacked automatically by software that probed a hundred thousand websites one night.

    Or, in the case of identity theft, when someone takes out $50,000 of loans in your name? That happens through the gradual accumulation of personal data. Your name and email address from a list stolen from a hacked website, cross-matched with your street address from another, your date of birth from a third, and so on.

    These databases can contain millions of people’s details. They’re traded in shady online markets where people buy the pieces missing from the databases they already have, merge them, refine them, mark ‘em up and sell ‘em on until eventually there’s enough to turn it all into a credit application. It’s then laundered though “money mules”, people recruited in the belief they’re making money at home with just a computer.”

    The story of this vast, global ecology of crime is both fascinating and real. So why isn’t it told?

    Well, it’s a hard story to tell. Everything’s new and different. Imagine trying to tell the story a bank hold-up if you had to first explain all the pieces as if they were brand new. Bank. Money. Gun, Trigger. Balaclava, “OK, everybody lie down on the floor and keep calm.” Getaway car.

    Global organised crime is a complex octopus. By the time you’ve explained the first sucker at the end of tentacle number one you’re up to the next ad break and everyone’s lost attention.

    The Australian Crime Commission’s CEO, John Lawler revealed at a national conference for credit professionals in September that identity crime is a “key facilitator” for organised crime groups because it is an anonymous crime which can enable significant fraud.

    “Every single person in this room and the various sectors and organisations that you represent are targets for organised crime,” he told the Conference.

    “Criminals will exploit technology to not only carry out new crimes but commit traditional crimes on a much larger scale.”

    The ACC estimates organised crime is currently costing the Australian economy at least $15 billion per annum – and that the impacts of this are significant and growing.

    Mr Lawler says the amount of personal information requested and stored online, along with the growing popularity of social networking sites, provides organised crime with a larger pool of victims and data to harvest.

     “Organised criminals seek to conduct significant research on their intended victims and tailoring their operations to target weaknesses,” he says.

    So whilst this Aussie postal worker has been caught out and that is indeed terrible – we need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Look at the machine he was feeding this information to. That’s the big issue. The real problem here. They can probably find many people like him to do what he did. There are probably many people willing to go through somebody’s rubbish bin for a few bucks, to steal mail out of letterboxes, to make some shady phone calls to get personal information, even to write up computer programs and online scams to trick people. Some of these fraudsters probably have no idea that they are potentially contributing to not just theft, but in the wrong hands full-blown identity theft at some point – where not only money is stolen, but credit and therefore a person’s good credit rating.

    A life turned upside down

    Recovering from identity fraud is never an easy task – and it can be fraud to the tune of a mere $300 which is as devastating to a victim’s ability to obtain credit in the future, as fraud of $300,000.  Creditors need proof the victim didn’t initiate the credit. But many people don’t know how the fraud eventuated, and even if they do there’s no guarantee they can recover their good credit rating – meaning they can be locked out of credit for the duration of the credit listing, which in the case of a default, is 5 years. Not to mention if there is a hefty debt to pay they are not responsible for.

    Early intervention is critical

    If you have ever had any type of scam or crime committed against you, the message is – be wary of what the real ramifications of that fraud could be, and take action to protect your credit file as well as your finances. Check your bank and credit card statements thoroughly – any suspect signs could mean you are at risk of identity theft. You should also order a copy of your credit report – which would indicate if your credit file has been misused or attempts have been made to obtain credit in your name.

    Contact Police immediately and also alert your Creditors and the Credit Reporting Agencies which hold your credit file if you are at all suspicious of identity theft before it leads to fraud.

    Image: nuttakit/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Protecting Mr and Mrs Average from Identity Fraud

    Media Release

    Protecting Mr and Mrs Average from ID Fraud

    Every Australian is at risk of identity theft, and the government’s expansion of laws may help to put a price on what has been up to now a lucrative, faceless crime resulting in innocent people ripped off, and left with an uncertain financial future, a credit rating repairer says.

    MyCRA Credit Repairs CEO, Graham Doessel says improvements to identity fraud laws through the Crime Bill, passed by the Government on Wednesday are long overdue to increase protection to Australians for what is now termed “the fastest growing crime in Australia.”[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][i]

    “This is more than just basic credit card skimming or accessing bank accounts. Identity fraud comes about when a person’s good name has been misused, and that generally means fraudsters have been able to open credit accounts in their victim’s names – leaving the victim in debt and usually with a string of defaults against their name,” Mr Doessel says.

    The Australian Crime Commission’s CEO, John Lawler revealed at a national conference for credit professionals in September that identity crime is a “key facilitator” for organised crime groups because it is an anonymous crime which can facilitate significant fraud.

    “Every single person in this room and the various sectors and organisations that you represent are targets for organised crime,” he told the Conference.[ii]

    “Criminals will exploit technology to not only carry out new crimes but commit traditional crimes on a much larger scale.”

    The ACC estimates organised crime is currently costing the Australian economy at least $15 billion per annum – and that the impacts of this are significant and growing.

    Mr Lawler says the amount of personal information requested, stored and shared online provides organised crime with a larger pool of victims and data to harvest.

    “Organised criminals seek to conduct significant research on their intended victims and tailoring their operations to target weaknesses,” he says.

    Mr Doessel says this means when fraudsters ‘get someone’ with identity fraud the victim can have their life turned upside down.

    “Recovering from identity fraud is never an easy task. Creditors need proof the victim didn’t initiate the credit. But many people don’t know how the fraud eventuated, and even if they do there’s no guarantee they can recover their good credit rating,” he says.

    He welcomes increases to penalty units within the Crimes Act from $110 to $170, their first increase in 15 years.

    Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said the change would mean a person dealing in the proceeds of crime would see their fine rise from $165,000 to $255,000.[iii]

    The Age reported yesterday that the changes could see those people who use a carriage service like the internet or a mobile phone to obtain identity information with the intention of committing another offence could be sentenced to five years in jail.[iv]

    The crime of identity fraud has also expanded to include a number of activities such as flying interstate or booking domestic flights online using a fake identity.

    Mr Doessel says prevention is always better than the cure when it comes to identity fraud.

    “Australians need to understand that their personal information is a valuable commodity and should look at where it might be at risk of misuse. Keep your computer protected, don’t give your personal information to anyone who doesn’t need it and cross-shred all personally identifiable documents at home rather than throwing them straight in the rubbish,” he says.

    “Fraudsters are even going through rubbish bins to find what they need. So last month’s bank statement could be the missing link fraudsters needed to set up new accounts in your name.”

    He says if people worry they may be vulnerable to identity theft they should check their bank and credit card statements thoroughly and should also order a copy of their credit report – which would indicate if their credit file had been misused.

    “Contact Police immediately and also alert your Creditors and the Credit Reporting Agencies which hold your credit file if you are at all suspicious of identity theft before it leads to fraud,” he says.

    Victims can also use the services of a credit rating repairer to recover their good name following identity theft.

    /ENDS.

    Please contact:

    Graham Doessel – Director Ph 07 3124 7133

    Lisa Brewster – Media Relations media@mycra.com.au

    Ph 07 3124 7133 www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog

    246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

    MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s number one in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

     

    ——————————————————————————–

    [i] http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/Media–

    [ii] http://www.crimecommission.gov.au/media/presentation-to-dun-bradstreet-consumer-credit-conference-2012

    [iii] http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/Media-releases/Pages/2012/Fourth%20Quarter/21November2012Makingcriminalspay.aspx

    [iv] http://www.theage.com.au/national/government-cracks-down-on-identity-fraud-20121121-29qnf.html#ixzz2CuXawkmr

    Image: Ambro/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Nobody immune to identity theft as fraudsters turn their focus to investors

    Media Release

    Nobody immune to identity theft as fraudsters turn their focus to investors

    Wealthy, educated Australians looking to invest have become prime targets for the new breed of fraudster who are concocting elaborate scams designed to lure their hard earned savings. A national credit repairer says this demonstrates that the threat of fraud and identity theft is not limited to the naïve, but for all Australians.

    CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs, Graham Doessel says victims of the latest very sophisticated investment scams probably did not think they were in a high risk group, but he warns that all need to be on edge about where we could get caught out.

    “We need to get away from this idea that somehow those people that fall for scams are gullible. This is simply not true in all cases. Identity theft is the new black in criminal circles, and some of those criminals are willing to go to great lengths to fool their victims – particularly if the profits are lucrative,” Mr Doessel says.

    The Australian Crime Commission and Australian Institute of Criminology reported this year that more than 2600 Australians have lost in excess of $113 million to this type of investment fraud, but it is believed there is a high level of under-reporting and the extent is far greater. (1)

    They warn that the scam is incredibly sophisticated and has fooled even experienced investors with elaborate back up data, including fake websites and publications and fraudsters even issuing online press releases in the hope of extracting major dollars from their victims.

    Australians have been targets for this fraud because of high levels of superannuation and retirement savings. The Australian economy is also known to have been less affected by the global financial crisis than other nations.

    Mr Doessel says victims can lose their nest egg, and can also have their identity hijacked and potentially credit taken out in their name, which can rob them of the ability to obtain credit in the years when they will need it most.

    “Many people in this age group will generally have a good clean credit rating, and fraudsters can use the personal information they become privy to in order to set up a fake identity. This gives them access to huge amounts of credit in their victim’s name as well,” he says.

    He goes on to say “Fraudsters are never so kind as to pay the credit back -meaning the identity theft victim is hit twice – financially ruined and with no ability to borrow for 5 to 7 years due to bad credit history.”

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 514,500 Australians were victims of scams in 2011, with 44,700 people citing actual identity theft in the same year. (2)

    Credit reporting agency Veda Advantage also recently reported in its Australian Debt Study that one in five Australians have had their identities stolen or had their personal or financial data illegally accessed. (3)

    Matthew Strassberg, a Veda senior advisor said: “Whilst credit card fraud is a common form of identity crime, many people do not realise that with only a small amount of personal data, an identify thief could take out a second mortgage on a house, or open up a new line of personal credit and purchase items in their name or under a false identity.”

    Mr Doessel says pinpointing identity and credit fraud early can be difficult.

    “Fraudsters often change contact details, and many victims don’t know they have been scammed until they apply for credit and are refused,” he explains.

    He says sometimes there can be some early warning signs of identity theft, and people should watch out for these occurrences:

    1. Strange unaccountable withdrawals on credit or personal bank accounts. It may not need to be a big amount to indicate fraud. Many criminals do ‘test’ amounts to begin with before extracting more significant amounts.

    2. Phone calls or emails from what often appear to be legitimate companies, asking for money or personal details. If you have given bank details or personal information in this way either online or on the phone there is a high chance it was a scam. Verify with the company in question.

    3. Can’t log in to social networking or bank accounts.

    4. Bills or letters of demand sent to you for accounts you don’t know about.

    5. Missing mail – particularly credit card statements which could indicate someone has overtaken your accounts. In this case no news is not good news.

    6. Credit refusal due to a bad credit rating.

    If people feel they may be vulnerable to identity theft, they should alert their creditors, and also alert credit reporting agencies, who may be able to ‘flag’ their accounts to prevent fraudsters accessing credit in their name.

    Mr Doessel says regular credit checks are vital – and if a credit check reveals any “surprise bad credit” through possible identity theft – victims should act immediately to notify Police.

    “This crime is not very widely reported. But it is only through people reporting it that any real statistics get collated. Likewise, if people want to try and repair their credit rating following identity theft, the first thing I tell them is to make sure they have a Police report,” he says.

    For more information on restoring a credit rating following identity theft, contact MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs on 1300 667 218 www.mycra.com.au.

    /ENDS.

    Please contact:

    Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Ph  3124 7133 media@mycra.com.au

    www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog

    246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

    MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s leader in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

    (1) http://www.ministerhomeaffairs.gov.au/Mediareleases/Pages/2012/Third%20Quarter/9July2012-Newwarning-seriousinvestmentfraud.aspx
    (2) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbytitle/B634CE9C7619C801CA25747400263E7E?OpenDocument
    (3) http://m.smh.com.au/nsw/identity-theft-hits-one-in-five-study-20120705-21j37.html

     

    Image: worradmu/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     

  • Fraudsters pinch Australian Crime Commission logo to scam consumers

    Don’t be fooled with unsolicited emails, no matter how ‘official’ they look. The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) announced last week it has been made aware of a number of scams using the ACC name and logo to lure consumers into paying thousands of dollars into fraudulent bank accounts. We describe the details of this scam, and look at what you could be giving away that could lead to bad credit history.

    By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

    The ACC was last week alerted to a fraudulent email pretending to be from ACC Chief Executive Officer John Lawler, which asks the consumer to pay $900 into a Nigerian bank account in order to receive US$5 million.

    The email is sent from a non ACC email address. The ACC says all legitimate ACC emails contain @crimecommission.gov.au.

    They say the ACC will never request money from individuals in this way.

    Identifying characteristics of these emails may include:

    • Reference to the Department of Homeland Security
    • Reference to the Chief Executive Office of the Australian Crime Commission
    • Reference to Nigerian based banks
    • Requests for recipients to send amounts of money,” the ACC media release explains.

    This comes hot on the heels of another scam using the ACC name to rip off Australians.

    In late September the ACC became aware of a scam that falsely used the ACC, Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) logo in an attempt to lure consumers into paying large sums of money for fake criminal background checks.

    The fraudulent criminal background checks were being initiated by criminals using dating websites.

    The ACC says the scams highlight the prevalence and scope of frauds being initiated by criminals operating in the cyber environment.

    Criminals are prepared to go to great lengths to pilfer the money or personal details of their victims. To target Australian victims, the average cyber-criminal or scammer needs to be pretty savvy. Most Australians are aware of the obvious scams (although they still do catch out some), but elaborate ones such as the recent investment super scam has meant many well-educated and intelligent people become victims.

    It’s do with the logos, the proof, the fake websites, and the fake statistics. You just don’t assume that people would go to those lengths to steal your money –right? Wrong! The more elaborate the scam, the more likely it will catch out those with serious money. If the prototype works – fraudsters can use it again and again to catch out thousands before they are shut down.

    The other danger with receiving unsolicited emails, is that you can unknowingly download a virus by clicking on a link or attachment. This virus can cause your computer to be part of a botnet, or it can use keyloggers to record your keystrokes and take your passwords and usernames for important sites you use online. So even if you don’t fall for the scam, you can still fall victim to scammers.

    Scams can bring profits in a myriad of ways. Fraudsters can swipe small amounts over a widespread group – or they can concentrate on draining the bank accounts of a few. What they can also do, is misuse or even on-sell the personal details of the victim for purposes of constructing a fake identity to steal credit.

    If successful, crooks can access credit cards, goods or even larger items like houses and cars. This leaves the victim in debt, and it will also leave the victim with a series of credit defaults attached to their name. It is just debilitating for the victim, who then has to go and try to prove to creditors they didn’t initiate the credit in order to clear the bad credit history.

    To prevent this from happening to you, we have compiled a quick list of some ways you can prevent becoming a scam or identity theft victim:

    1. Keep virus software up to date on your computers. Install automatic updates and perform regular virus scans.
    2. Be careful with unsolicited emails. Check the email address before you click on links and attachments.
    3. Keep your privacy settings secure on all social networking sites.
    4. Keep your passwords and PIN numbers secure. Don’t carry PIN numbers with your credit/debit cards, change passwords regularly and use a variety of passwords for different purposes.
    5. Check all your credit card and bank statements each time they come in.
    6. Cross-shred all personally identifiable information which you no longer need, rather than throwing it straight in the bin.
    7. Buy a safe for your personal information at home.
    8. Do not give any personal information or credit card details to anyone via phone, online or email unless you are sure the site is secure, and or you can verify the company details.
    9. Be aware of who gets your 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 you are registering on to have your date of birth?
    10. Keep up to date with the latest scams by subscribing to the government’s ‘SCAM watch’ website.
    11. Check your credit file for free every 12 months. By requesting a copy of your credit file from one or more of the major credit reporting agencies, Veda Advantage, Dun & Bradstreet and Tasmanian Collection Service (TASCOL) you can be aware of any discrepancies which may need to investigated. Often it is only through a credit check which comes back with defaults on your credit file that  you may realise you have been a victim of identity theft.
    12. Report any incident of identity theft, no matter how small, or even if you have been reimbursed for the damage – to the Police. The more of us that report identity theft, the more effective will be our Government and Police response to it.

    For further information, visit these helpful links:

    ACCC’S SCAMwatch www.scamwatch.com.au for help with how to spot a scam and how to keep personal details safe.

    To report a scam, telephone them on 1300 795 995

    Stay Smart Online www.staysmartonline.gov.au for help with how to secure your computer, and how to keep abreast of cyber-related crime.

    MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs www.mycra.com.au for help with recovering your credit file following credit defaults from identity theft. Call 1300 667 218 to speak with a Credit Repair Advisor.

    Image: fotographic1980/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Credit file warning: Organised crime groups focused on stealing your identity

    In the future, the security of your personal information may be more crucial than ever. A warning coming from the Australian Crime Commission that organised crime groups will be more likely to hone in on opportunities associated with identity theft to commit crimes in the future. This could have serious implications for every aspect of your life. Your identity is basically your good name, and financially, it is also the key to your ability to obtain credit through your credit file. If you become an identity theft victim, you may also become a victim of credit fraud and end up in serious debt and with bad credit history for years. We look at what is happening, what is predicted for the future, and the 10 ways you can protect your personal information.

    By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

    The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) has said at a national conference for credit professionals that identity crime is used by almost all of the serous and organised criminal groups operating in Australia and is a key enabling activity for a range of frauds.

    The ACC’s Chief Executive Officer, John Lawler presented at the Dun and Bradstreet Consumer Credit Conference, ‘Credit risk in Australia – The road ahead’ last week. Mr Lawler spoke on ‘Global trends in consumer fraud’. Mr Lawler said identity crime is a “key facilitator” for organised crime groups because it is an anonymous crime which can enable significant fraud.

    “Every single person in this room and the various sectors and organisations that you represent are targets for organised crime,” he told the Conference.

    “Criminals will exploit technology to not only carry out new crimes but commit traditional crimes on a much larger scale.”

    The ACC estimates organised crime is currently costing the Australian economy at least $15 billion per annum – and that the impacts of this are significant and growing.

    Globally, the cost of cyber-crime alone has been calculated at $388 billion annually. This is more than the global market in marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined ($288 billion).

    Mr Lawler says the amount of personal information requested and stored online, along with the growing popularity of social networking sites, provides organised crime with a larger pool of victims and data to harvest:

    •Phishing attacks have become well designed and targeted.
    •Companies are being increasingly targeted as criminals are attracted to large volumes of data stored in single systems.
    •Organised criminals are also warehousing data for later use, making it more difficult to detect when and how data breaches have occurred.

    He says that the most threatening crime groups are diversified in the nature of their crimes – so they are running several ‘games’ and warned that these groups are increasing their level of involvement in fraud. He says this is due to the big pay offs. It’s anonymous so generates less risk, whilst bringing in “some significant profits.” The range of fraud types can include credit card fraud, mass marketed fraud, revenue and taxation fraud, superannuation fraud and financial market fraud.

    “Organised criminals seek to conduct significant research on their intended victims and tailoring their operations to target weaknesses.

    Serious and organised crime is embracing technology and the cyber environment like never before. The use by organised crime of professional facilitators, the use of false and stolen identities provides them with access to systems and data on an unprecedented scale. One manifestation of this is the unlawful access to and supply of illicit commodities, malware and illegal firearms through online sites such as darknets.

    This interface is occurring at all levels from an individual perpetrator to sophisticated serious and organised criminal networks. The anonymity and obfuscation of identity/location provided by the cyber environment facilitates these criminal acts,” he said.

    He warned of the prevalence of “white-collar” fraud like investment fraud. Which don’t target the naïve, but target those with plenty of money looking to invest prior to retiring. The scams are extremely well thought out:

    “Fraudulent syndicates rely on establishing a perception of legitimacy, trustworthiness and success. Syndicates typically establish virtual offices or fictitious corporations which mirror legitimate businesses. They build a perception of legitimacy through highly professional looking websites that provide press releases and make false claims of outstanding corporate performance. They are often linked to false regulator sites and can manipulate search engine data so that those undertaking due diligence are provided with affirmative responses in relation to the investments that are being yielded,” he explained.

    The ACC says education is key to improving our steeliness against this type of crime. They have written a letter via Australia Post to every householder in Australia warning of the risks of serious and organised investment fraud in Australia.

    But they say both businesses and the public sector have a role to play in understanding the ways they can minimise risk to all consumers.

    10 Ways To Protect Your Personal Information From Identity Theft

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

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

    3. Keep your passwords and PIN numbers secure. Don’t carry PIN numbers with your credit/debit cards, change passwords regularly and use a variety of passwords for different purposes.

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

    5. Cross-shred all personally identifiable information which we no longer need, rather than throwing it straight in the bin.

    6. Buy a safe for your personal information at home.

    7. Don’t give any personal information or credit card details to anyone via phone or email unless you are sure the site is secure, and or you can verify the company details.

    8. Be aware of who gets your 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 you are registering on to have your date of birth?

    9. Keep up to date with the latest scams by subscribing to the government’s ‘SCAM watch’ website.

    10. Check your credit file for free every 12 months. By requesting a copy of your credit file from one or more of the major credit reporting agencies, you can be aware of any discrepancies which may need to investigated. Often it is only through a credit check which comes back with defaults on your credit file that many realise they have been victims of identity theft.

    Report any incident of identity theft, no matter how small, or even if you have been reimbursed for the damage – to the Police. The more people that report identity theft, the more effective will be Australia’s Government and Police response to it.

    If you are already an identity theft victim, it can be difficult to navigate the current credit reporting system to have the bad credit history removed from your credit file.

    MyCRA Credit Repairs can completely remove bad credit history such as defaults, clearouts, writs and Judgments from credit files that have errors, are unjust or just shouldn’t be there. Contact a Credit Repair Advisor on 300 667 218 or visit www.mycra.com.au for more information.

    Image: Salvatore Vuono/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     

  • Privacy Commissioner reports data breaches on the rise

    As part of Privacy Awareness Week 2012, over 180 business leaders met in Sydney this week to discuss the topic of data breaches. Data breaches can occur through lost or stolen laptops, portable storage devices and paper records, or through databases being ‘hacked’ into or organisations mistakenly providing information to the wrong person. The effects of data breaches can be theft of identity and potentially credit fraud leading to bad credit history for the victim. The Privacy Commissioner claims there is in effect one data breach a week in Australia – an increase of 27 per cent from last year.

    This is an excerpt from Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrims statement to the media on Monday on data breaches in Australia:

    “The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) was notified of 56 data breaches in the last financial year, equivalent to a data breach a week. This is up from 44 in the previous year, an increase of 27 per cent,” Mr Pilgrim said.

    However, the Privacy Commissioner also noted that he opened a further 59 investigations into other breaches where he wasn’t notified of the incident.

    “Serious harm can befall people when the security of their personal information is compromised”, Mr Pilgrim said. “It is our view that whenever there is a real risk of serious harm, affected individuals should be notified.”

    …Data breach notification is not a mandatory obligation applying generally to government and business in Australia. However, there is increased pressure on the Government to introduce laws to make it a general legal requirement as it is elsewhere — data breach notification is already a mandatory requirement in Europe, the UK and the United States….

    The Privacy Commissioner warned that in some circumstances, it may be a breach of the Privacy Act not to notify as organisations covered by the Privacy Act must take reasonable steps to protect the information they hold.

    For businesses who would like a reference for guidelines on handling personal information security breaches, the OAIC has released this document:

    Data breach notification: A guide to handling personal information security breaches. It outlines four steps to consider when responding to a breach or suspected breach and also outlines preventative measures that should be taken as part of a comprehensive information security plan.

    Personal information has become a valuable commodity used to commit identity fraud and potentially ruin the victim’s financial future.

    We can’t take lightly the possibility that any company that keeps data on its customers could be exposed to data breaches. Identity theft is becoming more prevalent, and personal information is lucrative for fraudsters.

    Personal information in the wrong hands can lead not only to identity fraud, but the misuse of the victim’s credit file, which can have significant long term consequences.

    Data breaches are difficult for individuals to have any control over, and the only way people can ensure their details are safe are to demand that the companies they deal with have strong IT systems before disclosing that information.

    The Australian Crime Commission’s Identity Crime report advises consumers on ways they can protect their personal information. They advise all individuals to obtain a copy of their credit report annually in order to keep abreast with any changes to their credit file which may point to identity theft.

    This could detect suspicious entries such as new credit enquiries or changes in contact details which would point to an identity theft attempt, allowing steps to be taken before the fraud affects the person’s good credit rating.

    If a person may be vulnerable to identity theft through a data breach, they should check their credit file immediately, and also contact Police who will advise them on the best course of action to take to restore their accounts and potentially their good name. This could include applying for a Victims of Commonwealth Identity Crime Certificate – which covers particular Commonwealth Identity Crime and can aid in recovery.

    If people need help to prepare a case to creditors for default removal following identity theft, it may help to contact a reputable credit repair company.

    Image above: David Castillo Dominici/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

    MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs is proud to be a partner for Privacy Awareness Week 2012.

  • Tax fraud worth $33 million linked to identity crime

    Victims struggle with recovery after tax fraud leaves them out of pocket. Could this type of identity crime threaten their  credit file?

    According to public documents, a staggering $33 million worth of suspected fraudulent tax refunds linked to identity crime have been blocked since July this year. Last week SC Magazine released an article ‘ID thieves steal tax returns’ revealing these figures.

    It reports criminals are lodging fraudulent returns with the ATO and also creating fake group certificates linked to real businesses.

    SC reports that the process of finding the fraudsters and reimburing victims is complicated and difficult:

    “Australian Federal Police are understood to be only able to investigate instances of fraud against the ATO if banks supply suspect account details. This is thought to scarcely occur.”

    “The task facing the ATO’s team of anti-fraud investigators is hard to overstate. The $33 million in fraudulent returns blocked since tax time represented a mere 0.67 per cent of total returns processed over the same period. The ATO had withheld pending review 1.2 per cent of returns amounting to $401 million in claims which it considered “overstated” or “potentially fraudulent”.

    And with the lion’s share of legitimate and fraudulent returns filed within four months, the office’s sophisticated fraud-detection systems are put on a hunt for the proverbial needle in the hack stack,” the article says.

    The ATO says it could not comment on investigations, but has promised to reimburse victims, saying they have a:

    “strong focus on raising awareness within the community about the importance of TFN protection and personal information,” it told SC Magazine.

    In the meantime, two of the victims interviewed by SC reported experiencing many issues with attempting to get to the bottom of the fraud themselves. There has reportedly been little assistance from the accountants responsible for lodging the fraudulent claims (they are reportedly not liable having lodged the claim in good faith), and after 30 calls to the ATO from one of the victims, still no answers and no refund yet.

    What we found most interesting about this article, was the last few paragraphs on the Australian Federal Police’s response to SC:

    “Matters of individual tax fraud should be handled by the ATO it [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][the AFP] said.

    It has five officers dedicated to investigating such fraud across Australia. it believed the victims should consult state police.

    For Cameron and Mansfield [the alleged fraud victims featured in the article], it remains unclear who they can turn to for assistance to recoup their lost tax claims.

    Short of obtaining a new TFN, agencies could offer little advice for victims of tax fraud.

    Government agencies broadly suggest victims of identity theft purchase a credit monitoring service and regularly check bank accounts,” the article says.

    The comments illustrate where we believe Australia can do more when it comes to identity theft – identity theft recovery.

    The media seems to frequently speak to identity theft victims, but many of them seem to have been unable to recover their lost monies, to find someone who shoulders the responsibility or gives them the answers or help they are looking for.

    Albeit it is early days for identity theft as a crime, but with a recent survey commissioned by the former Attorney-General revealing 1 in 6 people know someone or themselves have been a victim of identity theft, and the Australian Crime Commission citing identity crime as the fastest growing crime in Australia, it may be a pertinent time for victim recovery to be given more focus.

    In the SC article, it was recognised that the actual victim of fraud was the ATO, whose money was stolen by fraudsters. But what about the person whose identity was stolen? Are they at risk of further fraud in other areas?

    The fraudsters have detailed personal information on the victims, what to say they can’t take credit out in the victim’s name or use the information for other illegal purposes? Where should they go to be given advice on what to do?

    Recently we investigated identity theft recovery, and how it specifically relates to repairing a damaged credit rating. A damaged credit rating from identity theft can hurt the victim sometimes more than the original fraud. Not only can they owe the debt, and all subsequent fees to creditors they can be blacklisted from obtaining further credit in their names for 5 to 7 years. An identity theft victim who is not able to recover their credit rating is facing years of hardship. So where can victims turn for help?

    “Government agencies broadly suggest victims of identity theft purchase a credit monitoring service and regularly check bank accounts”

    This is true, but what was missed from the quotes in this article, was the fact that these victims may be eligible to apply at a Magistrate’s Court for a Commonwealth Victims of Identity Crime Certificate. Were victims told about their options in this regard?

    This Certificate is designed to give Commonwealth identity theft victims some kind of official substantiation to their claims of fraud.

    “A Commonwealth Victims’ Certificate helps support your claim that you have been the victim of Commonwealth identity crime. You can present the Certificate to an organisation such as a Government agency, or a business (such as a financial institution or credit agency).  This may help you negotiate with them to re‑establish your credentials or to remove a fraudulent transaction from their records.

    A certificate does not compel any organisation to take a particular action. It will not automatically re-establish a person’s credit rating or remove a fraudulent transaction from their record. It is also not admissible in any legal proceedings.” The Attorney-General’s website says.

    With recovery obviously so difficult, victims need any help they can get.

    If victims have their credit rating damaged for example, black marks are quite difficult for the individual to remove. When it comes to identity theft in our experience, creditors demand documentary proof to help with establishing that the victim did not initiate the credit in the first place. This certificate could certainly be a very valuable document for victims and we feel would greatly assist victims in substantiating their claims to creditors.

    During our investigations, we found it difficult to establish the ground rules as to what constituted a Commonwealth Indictable Offence, and a State Offence.

    The Attorney-General’s office advised us that the list of offences against the Commonwealth are so great, it is difficult to provide a full list for the public. They say that if any person suspects identity theft, they may be eligible and should just apply  for the Certificate, and a magistrate in their State will decide whether it is possible to obtain one on Commonwealth grounds.

    And as to whether these tax fraud victims would be eligible? A spokesperson for the Attorney-General advised us that that a Commonwealth indictable offence would include some instances of tax fraud:

    “This includes conduct relating to tax fraud such as when an individual dishonestly obtains a financial benefit from the Commonwealth by using another person’s identity,” the spokesperson said.

    They say it is up to the Police to pass on information on the Certificate to victims as they see appropriate for each individual fraud case. Apart from that, information is available on the Attorney-General’s website.

    It may be that the tax fraud victims at this stage have no need or claim for an identity crime certificate. But broadly speaking, it should be something which is promoted by all agencies as an avenue for recovery for victims. It could also be something State-based agencies could also look at adopting for identity theft victims.

    In the meantime, identity theft continues to affect 1 in 6 of us, and while Australia continues to iron out its laws and streamline its investigations, we believe the current victims are unlucky to be at the beginning of our development of effective recovery processes.
    For further help with credit repair information following identity theft, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     

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  • Thousands of Christmas flights won’t be honoured

    Media Release
    4th November 2011

    Australian travellers may be left stranded at the airport holding bogus airline tickets at Christmas time after suffering at the hands of scammers.

    A government agency has warned Australians about cheap flight deals through fake travel websites which have travellers believing they have purchased legitimate airline tickets, but all they have done is been skimmed of their money and left vulnerable to identity theft.

    With a current warning issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s SCAMwatch website (www.scamwatch.gov.au ) for flight booking scams, a national credit repairer, MyCRA’s, Graham Doessel says people could find it is more than just Christmas that is ruined.

    “It’s all bad for these poor scam victims. At best they can be left with no holiday – but at worst fraudsters can take their personal details and use them to construct a fake identity which would allow them to borrow in their name – the ramifications of that can last for years,” Mr Doessel says.

    SCAMwatch says it has received a number of reports of fraudulent traders who have copied the ABN and look of legitimate travel websites.

    “Some victims have lost in excess of $1000 for fake international flight bookings, while others report instances of identity theft after interactions with the fake trader,” the SCAMwatch website warns.

    Currently the Australian Crime Commission sites identity theft as the fastest growing crime in Australia, and a recent study presented by the Attorney-General’s office revealed 1 in 6 people have had their identity stolen or misused in some way.

    Identity theft occurs when criminals use a person’s personal details, usually to obtain credit in their name. The benefits can be lucrative, gaining access to large amounts of credit – enough even to mortgage a property in the victim’s name. It is often not until the victim goes to apply for credit in their own right and are refused because of credit rating defaults they didn’t initiate, that they realise they have had their credit file misused.

    “Unfortunately identity theft can turn the victim’s life upside down. Adverse listings can be difficult to have removed, simply because it is up to the victim to prove to creditors they didn’t initiate the credit,” Mr Doessel says.

    MyCRA advises people to take these precautions when booking travel:

    – Be wary of any offer that comes via an unsolicited email.

    – For legitimate-looking websites, check the URL is correct for that company. If it looks suspicious – it may be a fake. Do the research on the airline or travel agency’s own website or contact the company directly to verify details in the offer.

    – Never make the purchase through a link in an email.

    – Take five minutes extra to research the company that is offering the deal to ensure they are genuine.

    – If the flight seems too cheap – it may be a fake.

    – For people who think they may have fallen prey to a scam, they should  contact Police, and if they think their personal details may have been compromised – obtain a copy of their credit file.

    Australians are able to obtain a free copy of their credit report every 12 months from one or more of the credit reporting agencies.

    “If someone suspects fraud, their credit file could show changes, which if detected early, would prevent their good name from being ruined. If there are any unusual credit enquiries, or some attempt to alter personal contact details this should be a red flag. People should alert creditors to prevent their credit rating from being ruined and protect their ability to obtain credit in the future,” he says.

    For more information on identity theft, people can visit the MyCRA Credit Repairs website www.mycra.com.au.

    /ENDS.

    Lisa Brewster – Media Relations   media@mycra.com.au

    Graham Doessel  – Director  Ph 07 3124 7133

    www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog 246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

    MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s leader in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

    Image: Free DigitalPhotos.net

  • Let me count the ways…identity theft news

    This week the media has reported on a number of major instances of identity theft which all confirm the fact that as the Australian Crime Commission (ACCC) reports, identity theft is the “fastest growing crime in the country”.

    The National Identity Fraud Awareness Week, running this week from 17-23 October has thrust identity theft issues in Australia right into the spotlight.
    It almost looks like there has been a ‘storm’ of identity theft – with warnings and recorded cases in most major news over the past few days.

    The press coverage of major identity theft news in this country is interesting. It brings to light the possibility that this news could happen on any given week, and that because of the NIFAW, these instances have been given extra attention by the press. This should cement for Australians the emergence of a very real crime with often dire consequences.

    Identity theft can not only impact a person’s finances, but also their ability to borrow in the future. By extracting personal details and using those to take out credit in their victim’s name, fraudsters can take a person’s good credit rating and basically destroy it.

    A significant amount of a person’s ability to borrow in the future rests on their credit file, which is the file the credit reporting agencies keep on each person who is credit active in this country. If a potential borrower has any adverse listings showing up on their credit file, lenders will generally refuse credit. The catch is…adverse listings remain on credit files for 5-7 years depending on the type of listing. So an identity theft victim can have that crime impact them for a significant time following the event if their name has been used to obtain credit in fraudulent circumstances.

    And recovery is not as simple as calling creditors and explaining what has happened. Under Australian credit reporting law, often the victim requires a great deal of documentary evidence, including Police reports to prove they did not initiate the credit.

    So identity fraud awareness should continue every day, with more focus from Governments, Police, Companies’ and most importantly, consumers on ways to stay protected from identity crime.

    The ACCC’s website has a great host of information on identity crime, which includes a list of preventative tips, which people should print out, talk about and put into practice in their lives.

    Here are some of those media reports which we found significant:

    Credit card fraud

    Raids in Sydney’s Ashbury and Haymarket yesterday uncovered a substantial identity crime operation. Police found 12,000 fake credit cards, with a face value of $30m, a number of blank NSW driver’s licences, computer files and equipment allegedly used in the manufacture of fraudulent documents.
    The Daily Telegraph reported in its story ‘Fake credit cards worth $30m seized along with drugs and cash’ that each card had a credit limit of $2500.

    Amongst the seizures were $20,000 in cash, 90 grams of amphetamines, drug paraphernalia and designer clothing and jewellery valued at about $100,000.
    The operation was carried out by the Identity Security Strike Teams (ISST)  – made up of  Australian Federal Police, NSW Police Force, Roads and Traffic Authority and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
    The teams investigate serious and complex identity security matters forming a collaborative network among law enforcement agencies to effectively deal with this crime.

    Bank account fraud

    The Sydney Morning Herald reported this morning on a fraud scandal involving two major Australian banks. The story ‘Citibank left with
    $500,000 fraud bill after impostor scam    ’ details the findings of a NSW Supreme Court judgment from an incident in which Citibank and National Australia Bank and their customers were caught up in a circumstance of fraud.

    In November 2010, Citibank’s Sydney branch received a fax from what appeared to be a Citibank client instructing the transfer of US$500,000 from his multi-currency at call account, to a NAB account jointly held in his name.

    Using the SWIFT international clearing house system of international funds transfers, Citibank transferred the money to the NAB account. A few days later, NAB’s World Square branch received faxes of three international telegraphic transfer application forms, each ostensibly signed by the same client.
    The first form, dated in October, requested a transfer of $15,000 to an HSBC Hong Kong account.

    The second and third forms, dated November, both requested $225,000 transfers to HSBC Hong Kong accounts.

    The Herald reports the NAB assistant branch manager checked the signature on the forms against the client’s signature on its verification system, and as there were sufficient funds, transferred the sums.
    However, the faxed instructions to both banks were false.
    The client and the joint signatory on the NAB account had sued the banks, and had since settled and had their money returned.

    Judy Hitchen, a spokeswoman for Citibank said the customers were ”the unfortunate victims of a sophisticated identity theft”.
    ”The court noted that there was no allegation of negligent conduct or failure by the banks to meet relevant banking standards. In fact, through verification and control systems in place at the time, we were able to constrain the losses by detecting and preventing a subsequent attack on the customers’ account,” she said.

    The case is being investigated by Australian and overseas police.

    Dumpster diving to steal personal information

    Today Tonight also hit identity theft this week, with a story on what is known as ‘dumpster diving’. The story titled ‘Identity theft alert’ featured cyber-fraud hunter from SOPHOS, Rob Forsyth. He revealed that dumpster diving – where crooks go through people’s rubbish bins looking for personal information – is a ‘nightly epidemic’.

    “They [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fraudsters] know, because it’s public information which councils have pick-ups on which day, and whether it’s garden waste or recycled waste, and they will cruise through those streets in the middle of the night and go through the garbage bins,” Forsyth said.

    Today Tonight revealed that two in five Australians put old bank statements and other key personal papers into recycling.

    Identity fraudsters will return over weeks, compiling piece by piece, until the jigsaw is complete, and then selling that abroad – dumped bank statements, credit card offers, phone bills, which already bear the person’s name and address.

    “That waste paper is worth millions to the right people,” Crime Stoppers Australia CEO Peter Price said.
    Recycling robbery is now his number one target in a national identity fraud awareness campaign being launched next Monday.
    “In some instance there’s a black market where people actually bid for this information, almost like an on-line auction, and they’ll start using that information to buy stuff almost immediately,” Price explained.

    Once the information is stolen, your identity is shipped around the world in seconds, and that’s when the cyber hunters come in.

    Identity theft and cyber fraud cost Australia $8.5 billion every year. One in five Australians will be hit, more than four million people, and it’s getting worse every day.

     

    Data breach threat prevented

    Australian Super account fraud has been a growing phenomenon in Australia, with Police announcing official warnings in June for Super account holders to take care of their accounts and look for any changes that may point to identity theft.

    It was revealed on Tuesday that an Australian Super Fund’s computer system was exposing its members to a possible data breach.

    The Sydney Morning Herald reported in its story ‘Super bad: First State set police on man who showed them how 770,000 accounts could be ripped off’ about an account holder (who happened to be a security consultant) of Superannuation fund First State, stumbling upon a major flaw in the company’s data base. The error allowed the account holder to download the account information of First State customers.

    “…the details revealed on the statements were a fraudster’s dream, including full names, addresses, email addresses, membership number, age, insurance information, superannuation amount, fund allocations, beneficiaries and employer information.

    Nigel Phair, a former cyber cop turned cyber crime consultant, said the information obtained could be used to take over customer accounts. “Since superannuation is a set and forget saving mechanism, account holders may only suspect an account takeover when they receive their annual statement (assuming they read it in detail),” he said.

    First State Super, which sent a letter to some members on October 7 informing them of the breach, has over 770,000 members and over $30 billion in funds under management. A large portion of its members are NSW public sector employees and their spouses, including police, politicians and magistrates.

    Thanks to the good work of the account holder, the data breach threat was fixed immediately, but Phair says had this exploit been discovered by someone with malicious intent then the outcome would have been significantly more serious.

    A recent global survey reveals widespread concern over data breaches and the security of personal information. A survey conducted online by Harris for US-based identity management specialist SailPoint, showed the majority of adults in the United States, Great Britain and Australia are worried about possible exposure of their personal information, and a large percentage of adults have lost confidence in how companies protect their personal information.
    For people who need help with credit repair following identity theft, or for extra information on credit files and identity theft, call MyCRA Credit Repairs tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: thanunkorn: FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Big arrest in NY reveals inner workings of identity theft ring

    In New York this weekend, huge arrests have been made, unravelling an identity theft ring involving counterparts in China, Europe and the Middle East. 111 people were arrested and more than 85 are in custody.

    The Herald Sun reported on Saturday that five separate criminal rings operating out of Queens, New York have been dismantled:

    They were hit with hundreds of charges, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, calling it the largest fraud case he’d ever seen in his two decades in office.

    “These weren’t holdups at gunpoint, but the impact on victims was the same,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. “They were robbed.”
    The enterprise had been operating since at least 2010 and included at least one bank and restaurants, mostly in Queens.

    Authorities say the graft operated like this: At least three bank workers, retail employees and restaurant workers would steal credit card numbers in a process known as skimming, in which workers take information from when a card is swiped for payment and illegally sell the credit card numbers. Different members of the criminal enterprise would steal card information online.

    The numbers were then given to teams of manufacturers, who would forge cards from Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Realistic identifications were made with the stolen data.

    The plastic would be given to teams of criminal “shoppers” for spending sprees at higher-end stores, including Apple, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. The groups would then resell the merchandise oversees to locations in China, Europe and the Middle East.

    All told, more than $US13 million ($13.4 million) was spent on iPads, iPhones, computers, watches and fancy handbags from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, authorities said.

    The suspects also charged pricey hotel rooms and rented private jets and fancy cars, prosecutors said.
    Detectives with language skills spent hours translating Russian, Farsi and Arabic during the investigation, Mr Kelly said…

    And, Mr Kelly said, criminals are getting more sophisticated. “Thieves have an amazing knowledge of how to use technology,” he said.

    “The schemes and the imagination that is developing these days are days are really mind-boggling.”

    Could this be happening in Australia?

    The cold hard facts are – yes! The ‘beauty’ of identity crime – and why it’s so lucrative, is because criminals can be part of a worldwide network – they are no longer reliant on simply their own knowledge and skills.

    So skimmers can then on-sell credit cards and details on ‘carder’ sites which are then purchased by other criminals, often in other countries. Or as was the case in the NY ring – skimmers can be working out of one country but the network’s origins can be spread across the world.

    This makes the criminals so much harder to catch and that much more powerful.

    In the Australian Crime Commission’s Crime profile series on Credit Card Fraud, they say that card fraud has grown rapidly in the past decade:

    “…counterfeiting or skimming of credit cards cost Australians more than $45 million,” the ACCC says.

    The Australian Crime Commission gives a list as to some of the ways criminals have misused credit cards in Australia:

    How Card Fraudsters Work…

    Card skimming—the criminal copies information from the card’s magnetic strip from which counterfeit copies can be made. Common scenarios for skimming are restaurants or bars where the skimmer has possession of the victim’s credit card out of their immediate view. Skimming may also occur where criminals put a device over the card slot of an ATM which then reads the magnetic strip as the user unknowingly passes their card through it. These devices are often used in conjunction with a pinhole camera to read the user’s Personal Identification Number (PIN) at the same time. Criminals may also tamper with EFTPOS terminals in order to gather card information.

    Buying credit card information—in 2009, credit card information was the most commonly sold item in the underground economy, accounting for 19 per cent of the items for sale. Stolen card data can be sold for as low as US 85c per card when bought in bulk. Criminals may couple this information with details harvested from social networking sites to commit frauds.

    Counterfeit cards—criminals gain details of a current valid cardholder, usually from the internet. They then emboss blank white plastic cards with stolen numbers and the magnetic stripe on the card is encoded with matching numbers and the signature panel on the card installed. Identifying logos and colour printing are then added to mimic a real card.

    Fraudulent use of debit card PINs—cardholders may disclose their PINs unwittingly or through coercion or through methods such as skimming. Stolen cards and PINs may be used to make unauthorised cash withdrawals.

    Card theft—criminals steal cards and make purchases by forging the cardholder’s signature, or alter the encoded details on the card or even transfer those details to a counterfeit card or to several cards.

    Application fraud—criminals obtain the personal details of a real person (such as from utility bills or bank statements stolen from post boxes, or through social networking sites), and use this information to acquire credit cards in that name. The offender then uses the cards to buy goods or services. Alternatively, a criminal uses false identification details to obtain a legitimate card in a false name. Legitimate cards will then be issued to an individual who will later default on paying monies owed and abscond.

    Account takeover—criminals gather information on an intended victim (using the same techniques described above), then contact that person’s card issuer masquerading as the genuine cardholder and asking for mail to be redirected to a new address. The criminal then reports the card lost and asks for a replacement to be sent.

    Internal or employee fraud—unauthorised transactions on business credit cards perpetrated by a criminal who has deliberately infiltrated an organisation, or an employee who has criminal motivations.

    Hacking—criminals may hack into databases of account numbers which are held by internet service providers or other businesses that hold customer information, or by intercepting account details which travel in unencrypted form. Or, they may interfere with bank computers in order for sums in excess of account credit balances to be withdrawn.

    Online scams—customers who make use of false credit card details or merchants who fail to honour online agreements.

    Phishing—sending an email to a user that makes false claims in an attempt to trick them into revealing credit card information so money can be obtained from accounts.

    Stored value card fraud—card readers are being programed to deduct greater value from the card than that authorised by the user, or sales staff could intentionally deduct greater sums than they are authorised to deduct. Sums which are rounded off to the nearest five cents could then be skimmed to the terminal owner’s advantage.

    Carding—a process criminals use to verify the validity of stolen card data. To do this, criminals will present the card information they have obtained to buy something small on a website that has real-time transaction processes. If the card is processed successfully, the thief knows the card is still good.

    In many of these scams, it is not only the victim’s finances which are being stolen – it is also their ability to obtain credit. When scammers gain access to a victim’s credit file, they are able to take out loans in the victim’s name. Once these unpaid loans are defaulted on – creditors will place a default listing/s on the victim’s credit file, which remains on their file for 5 years.

    So not only do they lose money, but their chances of getting loans, mortgages, even mobile phone plans are destroyed for 5 years if they are victims of identity theft in this way.

    And, unlike a bank – which often has insurance to cover unauthorised transactions, there is no safety net for identity theft victims in the Australian credit reporting system. The victim often has a difficult time having these adverse listings removed – and needs to provide lots of documentary evidence to prove they did not initiate the credit, to negotiate with creditors to have the offending entries removed.

    So how do people protect themselves against becoming victims of credit card fraud?

    There needs to be a psychic shift in much of the Western world about the way people think about credit cards – they need to be as secure if not securer than money, as they can be more of a danger to people’s financial security if misused than cash.

    Here are some ways people can protect themselves against identity theft from credit card fraud:

    – Always check the ATM or EFTPOS terminal for any suspicious boxes that could be skimming devices. If in doubt – don’t use it.
    – Always cover their PIN when using terminals.
    – Never let anyone walk out of sight with their credit card
    – Always check their card statements and report any unauthorised transactions – however small – to the bank immediately.
    – Regularly keep up to date with what is on their credit file. People can check their credit file by obtaining a written report for free every 12 months – but if they are suspicious of or vulnerable to fraud they can also for a fee obtain a credit report more often. If there are any discrepancies of credit or adverse listings that should not be there they should act immediately to notify Police.

    If people need help with credit repair following identity theft from credit card fraud, they can contact a credit rating repairer, such as MyCRA Credit Repairs, who can help restore their ability to obtain credit. Call them tollfree 1300 667 218.

    Image: worradmu / 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

  • Identity Theft News: The Latest Warnings and Recommendations

    In this post, we take a snapshot look at the current issues around identity theft crime. If you are new to our blog, the reason we are so passionate about identity theft, is because in Australia and indeed many other countries in the world, it has the potential to destroy our credit rating.

    In Australia, if we are the victims of identity fraud, unpaid debts we have not initiated can mount up in our name and if they remain unpaid more than 60 days they can result in ‘defaults’ being listed on our credit file. Often it is not until we attempt to obtain credit and are knocked back do we realise we have been victims.

    Here’s a look at recent news on this issue:

    The Future for Worldwide Identity Theft Prevention?

    Following the AusCERT Conference late last month held on Queensland’s Gold Coast, there came about a number of recommendations for improving security of our personal information.

    Recently we featured comedian Bennett Arron, who spoke at AusCERT about his experience with identity theft and how it can affect our financial future, and indeed our credit file. This was a great example of the issues individuals currently face when they are victims of identity theft.

    Another noteworthy recommendation to come out of the AusCERT Conference, was featured in a story in online IT publication The Register, and was put forward by Eugene Kapersky, founder of Kapersky Lab.

    Kapersky Lab operates a worldwide IT security company. He advised the conference the world needs an internet ‘Interpol’ – “a global,borderless cybercrime unit that would exist with the support [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][and] cooperation of international law enforcement agencies.”

    He also advised in the future we could be holders of internet passports as online ID. The security software millionaire said an international online identification system could help in the fight against identity theft and the illicit theft of passport documents online.

    Read more about this story ‘Kaspersky wants Interpol for the web’ published in The Register.

    Identity crime is certainly a global problem. Scams coming out of many countries personally affect ordinary Australians every day via the internet.

    It will be interesting to see what recommendations the Government puts forward after the publication of its first ever White Paper on cyber-security in Australia, and whether it will include a plan to lay down some sort of foundation for international cyber-crime law.

    High Profile Company Directors not Immune to IdentityTheft

    Last week it was reported that the Australian Institute of Company Directors had a computer stolen from its offices which contained the personal data of many thousands of its high profile directors and clients.

    Consequently all were warned to be on the lookout for signs of identity fraud.

    Fortunately, according to the AICD, the data on the computer didn’t contain any credit card numbers, bank details or passwords.

    They did warn those involved to be on the lookout for suspicious phone calls or other communications as they did believe the theft was an attempt at identity fraud on its members via the stolen database.

    Read more about this story ‘AICD’s membership data stolen’ published in IT Wire.

    Sometimes, as with the case above, identity thieves don’t necessarily need access to bank account numbers to gain access to our good name. All fraudsters need is perhaps an email address or telephone number and a bit of basic information about us to attempt to then elicit further information from us (known as phishing scams). They can also use the basic information they have to attempt to set up fake accounts, or to request ‘replacement’ copies of ID in our name.

    To keep up to date with the latest scams, visit the government’s SCAM watch website.

    Police warn of new fraud targeting Australian SuperAccounts

    NSW Police have advised of a current scam targeting Super Accounts, where fraudsters are stealing enough information from unsuspecting victims to transfer their Super into self-managed funds which can then be easily accessed by the criminals.

    Fraud Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Col Dyson says “Superannuation fraud…works well because no-one checks their super…victims rarely notice account changes, making it easy for criminals to change mailing addresses.”

    Unfortunately, unlike bank fraud, there is no obligation for superannuation funds to reimburse victims.

    Read more on this story ‘Crooks siphon super funds,’ on CRN Australia’s website.

    This is just another example of how difficult it can be for laws, individuals and institutions to keep up with what the Australian Crime Commission calls the fastest growing crime in Australia.

    This new fraud may not directly impact our credit file, but when there is no reimbursement for the fraud, it can financially cripple us.

    If we are victims of identity theft, we should always report it to the Police no matter how small the fraud. It is only through reporting this crime that real statistics start to be measured.

    We should also check our credit file, and have any black marks that should not be there dealt with by a professional credit repairer. Contact MyCRA Credit Repairs for more information. We completely remove defaults from
    credit files.

    Image: Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • What thieves can do with your mail

    Media Release: Australians are warned to keep their letterbox locked and all personal information at home secure if they want to reduce their risk of identity fraud.

    A national credit repairer says mail is a prime target for fraudsters, who can gather enough personal information from it to steal someone’s identity and ruin them financially for up to seven years.

    “Crooks are working in gangs, grabbing mail from letterboxes and even rifling through rubbish bins to find our personal details. The information there can often be enough to request ‘replacement’ copies of identification. Once this is accomplished, they can open bank accounts, obtain credit and even mortgage properties in our name” says Graham Doessel, Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs.

    Mr Doessel says identity theft can often hit twice, because if the fraud is not detected early, it can amount to defaults on people’s credit files which are difficult to just wipe away.

    “First we have to prove we didn’t create the defaults – and that can sometimes be really tricky. But until the matter is resolved, we can be black listed from even simple things like getting an internet connection or mobile phone plan in our name,” he says.

    This comes as NSW Police warn residents of inner-Sydney suburbs to lock their letterboxes after up to 1000 mail items were stolen from letterboxes in the area yesterday.

    Detective Inspector Leanne McCusker says residents need to secure their letterbox the way they would a house.

    “You need to be securing your house,” she said yesterday. “Your letterbox contains a lot of valuable property and your identification.” She also advises residents to know their neighbours and call police if they see someone not from the area acting suspiciously.

    The Australian Crime Commission now sites identity theft as the fastest growing crime in the country, costing upwards of $1 billion to the Australian economy, and possibly affecting at least 500,000 Australians per year.

    Mr Doessel recommends people put a few simple preventative measures in place to reduce their risk of identity fraud at home. “We should install a lock on our mailbox. We should buy a shredder and cross-shred every piece of personally identifiable information we no longer require before throwing it in the bin. We should also keep our personal documents locked away at home,” he says.

    “As far as online security goes, we should keep our virus protection up to date on our computers; change passwords frequently; only use secure sites for credit card transactions and be extremely conservative with our social-networking settings,” he says. He also recommends people obtain a report on their credit file regularly.

    “Often credit file discrepancies can be the first sign we have been victims of identity theft. We should obtain a free credit report to ensure that everything on our file is as it should be. That way if there are any problems, they can be rectified while there is no urgency” he says.

    Under current legislation, Australians can check their credit file for free every 12 months from the major credit reporting agencies Veda Advantage, Dun and Bradstreet and Tasmanian Collection Service. A report is sent to the owner of the credit file within 10 working days. For those who are vulnerable to identity theft, they can pay extra with Veda Advantage to have their file on an ‘alert’ system, which tracks any changes to their credit file that may occur within a 12 month period.

    He says identity theft victims should contact the Police immediately, although he says many of his clients don’t, due to embarrassment or because the fraud may not be a significant amount. “Our government may not have accurate statistics on identity theft numbers, just purely because we don’t report it often enough. But reporting to Police may be an essential step when trying to clear defaults if our credit file has been affected,” he says. He says if people find their credit file has been tarnished, a credit repairer can usually give people the best chance of complete default removal following identity theft.

    “Unfortunately in most cases, attempting to remove the default ourselves can do more damage than good by not understanding the process fully, almost like trying to defend ourselves in court. We might do OK, but we only get one shot at it and if we don’t get it 100% right, we will be unsuccessful. There is no appeal in most cases” he says. “Using a credit repairer usually gives people the best chance of getting defaults, writs and Judgments completely removed from their file if they contain errors, are unjust or just shouldn’t be there. Complete removal gives people back their right to obtain credit in the future,” he says. /ENDS

    Read more

    ACCC IDENTITY THEFT REPORT: Click Here

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  • Identity theft is losing your good name

    Media Release:

    A prominent Welsh comedian has called for governments to insist on stricter checks by creditors to help combat the growing issue of identity theft.

    Bennett Arron, who was a keynote speaker at the AusCert 2011 Information Security Conference Overexposed, says creditors merely reimbursing identity theft victims in lost monies is not an adequate solution to identity fraud, and can still leave victims financially crippled if their credit file has been tarnished.

     “Many companies and banks are too quick to take on clients and say that they will take any consequences themselves. What they don’t understand is that it’s not the money aspect which is the problem it’s the affect it has on [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][the victim’s] credit rating”, Mr Arron says.

    Arron was a victim of identity theft in the 1990’s in the UK, which left himself and his pregnant wife homeless and penniless.

    “There were thousands of pounds of debts – in my name. So as far as the Credit Companies were concerned, the debts were mine. It took me almost two years to clear my name and regain a good credit rating” he says.

    The fraudster, who had moved into Arron’s old address, received a pre-printed shopping card with Arron’s personal details on it, which he then used to purchase credit in several places. Arron says at the time, if more checks had been carried out the fraudsters may not have gotten away with it.

    “The perpetrator had even used a false date of birth – but no one verified it” he says.

    Arron went on to make a TV documentary, called How to steal an Identity, in which he demonstrated how easy it was to steal an identity in the U.K. He obtained a driver’s licence in the name of the then home secretary, Charles Clark.

    Arron has since been speaking out about his experience with identity theft, in an attempt to raise awareness of the issue globally.

    A national credit repairer says Arron’s case is a pertinent example of how many people can be caught out with identity theft. He says mail getting into the hands of a fraudster is a common way people can become victims of fraud. The effects can be felt for up to 5 years in Australia if someone’s credit file is affected.

    “Unfortunately more and more of our clients are faced with the issue of identity theft. Once the fraud impacts someone’s credit rating, they are often unable to obtain even a mobile phone in their name.  It need not be large-scale fraud to be a massive blow to the victim’s financial future” Graham Doessel, Director of MyCRA says.

    Once an unpaid account goes to default stage, the account may be listed by the creditor as a default on a person’s credit file. Under current legislation, defaults remain on the 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, there is no guarantee the defaults can be removed from their credit file. The onus is on them to prove their case and provide copious amounts of documentary evidence” he says.

    The Australian Crime Commission now sites identity theft as the fastest growing crime in the country, costing upwards of $1billion to the Australian economy, and possibly affecting at least 500,000 Australians per year.

    “Identity theft and its consequences is a red-hot issue right now because we are all feeling vulnerable to it. Recent worldwide data breaches such as from Sony PlayStation have left many of us feeling insecure about who to trust with our personal information, and what power our governments have to protect us should it occur” Mr Doessel says.

    Mr Doessel says the best defence an individual can take against identity theft is to get educated on how their personal information can be put at risk.

    “Register for the government’s Scamwatch alert system, which keeps you updated on the latest scams to be wary of. Also check out the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s website (formerly Privacy Commissioner’s website) which has a host of information on how to maintain the privacy of your personal information when using the internet and mobile phones.”

    “You also have to think like a criminal – ask yourself – what kind of information am I leaving open out there for fraudsters to use? Buy a shredder and cross-shred any personal information at home that you don’t need to keep on file; keep your details secure on social networking sites; and ensure your credit card transactions online are from a secure site and you know who you are transferring money to” he says.

    Education also extends to knowing what is on your credit file.

    “Often credit file discrepancies can be the first sign we have been victims of identity theft. We recommend every person who is credit active obtain a free credit report to ensure that everything on their file is as it should be. That way if there are any problems, they can be rectified while there is no urgency” he says.

    Under current legislation a credit file report can be obtained for free every 12 months from the major credit reporting agencies Veda Advantage, Dun and Bradstreet and Tasmanian Collection Service and is sent to the owner of the credit file within 10 working days.

    For those who are vulnerable to identity theft, they can pay extra with Veda Advantage to have their file on an ‘alert’ system, which tracks any changes to their credit file that may occur within a 12 month period.

    If people find defaults on their credit file after the credit check, they can contact a credit repairer to have them removed.

    “Unfortunately in most cases, attempting to remove the default themselves can do more damage than good by not understanding the process fully, almost like trying to defend themselves in court. They might do OK, but they only get one shot at it and if they don’t get it 100% right, they will be unsuccessful. There is no appeal in most cases” he says.

    “Using a credit repairer usually gives people the best chance of getting defaults, writs and Judgments completely removed from their file if they contain errors, are unjust or just shouldn’t be there. Complete removal gives people back their right to obtain credit in the future,” he says.

    /ENDS

    Quotes:

    FROM EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BENNETT ARRON & MY CRA CONDUCTED 20/5/2011

    Links:

    ACCC IDENTITY THEFT REPORT:

    Link1

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  • Privacy Commissioner Investigates Sony Data Breach

    On April 27 I posted about the Sony PlayStation data breach which occurred on April 17 and has possibly affected PlayStation users worldwide.

    To update this issue, yesterday the Australian Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim revealed findings from his initial investigation into the data breach:

    “Yesterday, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) advised me it had discovered that hackers may have obtained SOE customer information. SOE has said that the information was held in an out dated database from 2007 and contained approximately 12,700 non-US customer credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates.  It is unclear at this point how many of these customers are Australian citizens or recipients.”

    Australian Victim Ot The Sony PlayStation Identity Theft Issue Lost $2000

     “This latest incident is extremely worrying. I am particularly concerned that it involves information stored on an out of date database. It reinforces my view that organisations need to consider further limiting the amount of information they collect and store about people. They should also make sure that information is destroyed when it is no longer needed as is required under the Privacy Act” he says.

    In my last post I called for Australia’s legislation to come up to date with what is occurring worldwide. Being part of the technological network means we are part of the global network and therefore we cannot deny that security threats in any country and particularly the United States could have an impact on us here in Australia as it has done in this instance.

    In fact, current statistics show that high-tech crime costs Australians $15billion per year, and the Australian Crime Commission now sites identity theft as the fastest growing crime in Australia.

    What is encouraging is the Australia Law Reform Commission’s recommendation that consideration should be given to the introduction of mandatory data breach notification laws. This means that when something of the nature of the Sony PlayStation data breach or the recent Dell Computers data breach occurs in the future, there will be an obligation for the company to notify its customers in this country of the occurrence.

    What is also being considered by the Government is more power for the Privacy Commissioner to impose penalties following an ‘own motion investigation’, such as enforceable undertakings and civil penalties for serious breaches of privacy. So if this part of the recommendations becomes legislation, the Privacy Commissioner would be able to penalise those companies which are found liable in relation to privacy breaches.

    In the meantime, Sony recommends its customers take these steps to help protect their personal data:

    “For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking.

    When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Network or Qriocity user name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them, as well. To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant, to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports” says Sony’s Patrick Seybold.

    In Australia we can check our credit file for free by obtaining a credit report with credit reporting agencies Veda Advantage, Dun & Bradstreet or Tasmanian Collection Agency. A copy of our credit rating is then sent within 10 working days. Or for a fee they will supply one urgently.

    If there are any errors on this file, including evidence of identity theft, it is possible the credit file can be repaired.

    Contact www.mycra.com.au for more information.