MyCRA Specialist Credit Repair Lawyers

Tag: Australian Federal Police

  • Identity fraud survey: Find out if you are protected

    Identity FraudIt’s Identity Fraud Awareness Week 2013 this week running October 13 to October 19. Identity fraud can leave your credit file in ruins, and in some cases can mean a five year battle to recover your good name. Find out how protected you are from identity fraud by taking the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) online identity fraud survey. Read more about how identity crime can impact your credit file. Know the basic things to keep you and your credit file safe. And this week, take steps to safeguard yourself in the future, and pass on the message of safety to the people around you.

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

    Identity theft victims who have had credit taken out in their name can often struggle to recover from having their identity stolen long after the initial fraud has occurred.

    People can have mobile phones and credit cards taken out in their name as a minimum. Some can even have mortgages and cars purchased in their name.

    The real pain comes when a victim discovers defaults on their credit file – which not only ruins their ability to obtain credit at the time, but those listings remain on their credit file for usually five years from the initial fraud.

    What is not often realised is how difficult getting default listings removed from the credit file can be. Even for a victim of identity theft, there is no guarantee the defaults can be removed from their credit file. The victim often has to try to prove they didn’t instigate the credit in the first place. This can be difficult if victims are not aware of how or even when the identity theft occurred.

    The Australian Crime Commission now sites high-tech organised crime as costing Australians $15billion a year, and is reported to be the fastest growing crime in the country. And the Australian public is starting to become concerned.

    Results from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s (OAIC) 2013 Community Attitudes to Privacy survey were released last week. The survey reports that 48% of Australians believe that online services, including social media, now pose the greatest privacy risk. Only 9% of survey respondents considered social media websites to be trustworthy in protecting privacy.

    To know if you may be vulnerable to identity fraud – take the AFP’s identity crime survey this week, and pass it on to people you know. Most involved in identity crime prevention agree that Australians need to increase their knowledge of identity theft, and how to protect themselves – particularly with the volume of computer use in this country. Here are some ways the AFP suggest we can all protect ourselves form identity theft:

    How can I protect myself from becoming a victim of identity theft?

    You can take some simple steps to reduce the risks of having your personal information stolen or misused:

    • secure your mail box with a lock and make sure mail is cleared regularly

    • shred or destroy your personal and financial papers before you throw them away, or keep them in a secure place if you wish to retain them

    • always cover the keypad at ATMs or on EFTPOS terminals when entering your PIN, and be aware of your surroundings— is anyone trying to observe or watch you, are there any strange or loose fixtures attached to the machine or terminal?

    • ensure that the virus and security software on your computers and mobile devices is up-to-date and current

    • don’t use public computers (for instance, at an internet café), or unsecured wireless ‘hotspots’, to do your internet banking or payments

    • be cautious of who you provide your personal and financial information to—ensure that there is a legitimate reason to supply your details. Don’t be reluctant to ask who will have access to your information and which third parties it may be supplied or sold to. Ask to see a copy of the Privacy Policy of the business before you supply your details

    • only use trusted online payment websites for items won at online auctions or purchased online. Never make payments outside of trusted systems—particularly for goods which you have not yet received

    • regularly review your bank statements and obtain a copy of your credit history report. Report any unauthorised transactions or entries ASAP

    • ask your bank or financial institution for a credit or debit card with an embedded ‘micro-chip’—they are more secure than cards with only magnetic stripes

    • do not respond to scam emails or letters promising huge rewards if bank account details are supplied, or in return for the payment of ‘release fees’ or ‘legal fees’

    • if responding to an online employment or rental advertisement, be wary of transmitting personal information and copies of documents via email or electronically. If asked to attend an interview, do some prior research to confirm the legitimacy of the company or employment agency

    • in relation to social networking sites, always use the most secure settings. Take extreme care if placing personal details such as date of birth, address, phone contacts or educational details on your profile, and do not accept unsolicited ‘friend’ requests

    • for other useful tips, refer to the “Protecting Your Identity booklet – What Everyone Needs to Know (PDF, 700KB)“, published by the Attorney-General’s Department.

    • take our online identity crime survey to see how secure your identity is.

    I believe it is also really important to be aware of what your credit file says, and to know if there have been any changes you haven’t initiated.

    In my experience often credit file discrepancies can be the first sign we have been victims of identity theft. It is a good idea to regularly obtain a copy of your credit report to ensure that everything on your credit file is as it should be. Strange credit enquiries, changes of contact details, and of course default listings you are unaware of can mean someone has been using your identity.

    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. Or you can pay to have it sent urgently.

    If you are vulnerable to identity theft, you may also be able to purchase an alert service with credit reporting agencies – to be kept updated on any changes to your credit file which can indicate identity theft attempts.

    This Identity Fraud Awareness Week, the take home message from MyCRA would be:

    • stay vigilant (you never know when identity theft could strike)
    • stay informed (fraudsters are always thinking of new ways to trick people so try to stay one step ahead – it might help to sign up for alert services from Stay Smart Online, and check the ACCC’s Scamwatch website regularly)
    • and talk to others (you don’t want family and friends to become the next victim).

    Image: Victor Habbick/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Two Australians arrested for ID Theft

    Police StationAustralian Federal Police announced late last week they had arrested two men producing fake identity material and committing credit card fraud. We look at the details of this arrest (which was a joint operation by the Identity Security Strike Team), and the recommendations Police make to ensure YOU lessen your chances of falling victim to identity theft and having your ability to obtain credit impacted by defaults.

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

    Police report the operation began in January when intelligence gathered in previous operations identified a 52-year-old Beverly Hills man suspected of manufacturing fake identification and credit cards. Here is an excerpt from their media statement last week:

    Following investigative activities over the past eight months, search warrants were executed at a number of locations on Tuesday, including a Riverwood premises where police will allege that the 52-year-old man manufactured false documents, including driver licences, Medicare cards and credit cards. A 47-year-old Burwood man was identified as sourcing the identification information and supplying the completed false identification documents to others.

    A substantial amount of cash was also seized during Tuesday’s search warrants. The alleged criminal activity used high-end printing and manufacturing equipment to produce cards that were strong versions of officially-issued items.

    NSW Police Force Serious Crime Director Peter Cotter commended investigators for their efforts dismantling the group.

    “They had a well-resourced set-up and were capable of quickly reproducing a range of fraudulent identification documents which appeared to be the genuine article, making them particularly difficult to detect in our community,” Detective Chief Superintendent Cotter said.

    “This is a great example of how powerful law enforcement is when we work collaboratively to combat crime. The arrests serve as a warning for others who choose to engage in this type of criminal behavior.”

    NSW Roads and Maritime Services Director of Customer and Compliance Peter Wells said improved links with other identity issuing agencies was continuing to ensure identity thieves were apprehended.

    Identity theft is the curse of the 21st Century and that is becoming more evident in our industry of credit rating repair. There are more and more people needing help with repairing their credit file due to having their identity misrepresented in some way.

    Often the first time we are aware of identity theft is when we apply for credit and are flatly refused due to defaults on our credit file that are not ours.

    Credit file defaults are difficult for the individual to remove and generally people are told by creditors they remain on our file for 5 years, regardless of how they got there.

    Although it seemed so easy for the fraudster to use your good name in the first place, you are now faced with proving the case of identity theft with copious amounts of documentary evidence.

    If you have neither the time nor the knowledge of our credit reporting system that you may need to fight your case yourself, you can seek the help of a credit repairer. A credit repairer can help you to clear your credit file and restore the financial freedom you rightly deserve.

    The reason a credit repairer is usually so successful in removing your credit file defaults, is their relationships with creditors, and their knowledge of current legislation.

    If you have just found out you are a victim, we recommend you also contact the Police. Don’t be embarrassed – it is only through identity theft being reported that data gets collected and appropriate preventative measures eventually get put in place.

    Police offer some “red flags” which may show your identity security has been compromised. Top of their list, was your credit report. Checking your credit report regularly is essential to ensure your information is accurate. Your personal details on your credit report should also be checked to ensure they have not been altered by identity thieves. You can check your credit report free once per year. Click here to find out more

    POLICE TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR IDENTITY:

    •Check your credit report every year. If you find that you have been marked as having unpaid accounts, for example, that you have never heard of, you might have become the victim of an identity theft.

    •If you are on the phone, confirm that the persons you are making contact with are who you think they are.

    •Lock postal mailboxes to deter theft of mail.

    •Always store any personal or financial documents in a safe place.

    •Do not provide your tax file numbers or other identifying information to people who don’t have a requirement to know.

    •Destroy old documents and cards before disposing of them, otherwise your rubbish could become someone else’s means to stealing your identity.

    •Keep your credit and debit cards secure and never let them leave your sight when paying for something, for example the bill at a restaurant.

    •Report missing or stolen passports to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    •Report missing or stolen driver licenses to your state/territory roads and traffic authority.

    •Report missing or stolen credit/debit cards to your bank or other financial institution.

    •Report missing or stolen mobile phones to your telecommunication provider.

    •Ensure that your personal computer has up to date software and antivirus software installed.

    •Be aware of phishing emails through which criminals will try to elicit your personal information (including credit card numbers).

    If you would like to know more about identity theft and your credit file, visit this link http://www.mycra.com.au/identity-theft/.

  • Stay safe on Australia’s biggest day of online commerce

    Media Release

    Stay safe on Australia’s biggest day of online commerce

    Buying presents online is bigger than ever this year, and it has been announced by online commerce experts that Sunday December 9 2012 is predicted to be the biggest day of online retail in Australia’s history.

    With this in mind a consumer advocate for accurate credit reporting is warning Australians to be vigilant with their personal information, as credit card fraud is not the only way unsuspecting consumers can be ripped off online.

    CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair, Graham Doessel says those consumers buying online should be careful giving out not only banking details but other pieces of personal information to unfamiliar online retailers, as this information may be used or stored for purposes of identity theft.

    “If you are caught out with bank fraud, your bank may be able to monitor your accounts and in many cases reimburse you for stolen funds, but identity fraud is not so simple.”

    “Identity theft is about building up a profile on the victim, and if fraudsters are able to do this they can request replacement copies of identification in your name and gain access to your credit rating, so it may be your personal details that the crooks are really after,” he says.

    Ebay, Paypal and Australia Post recently predicted Sunday December 9, 2012 will be Australia’s biggest online retail day, with 2.3 million Australians expected to visit Ebay alone on this day.[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] Whilst these retailers are familiar and trusted companies, some retailers are not always what they seem.

    The Australian Federal Police released a statement on Monday warning all consumers they need to keep close their personal information as they would if they were physically at the store.

    AFP National Manager High Tech Crime Operations Neil Gaughan:

    “Consumers need to ensure they protect their personal and financial information. Following basic security measures will prevent fraud and the disappointment and stress of financial loss when goods thought purchased are not received.” [ii]

    NSW Fair Trading, independent organisation Internet Fraud Watchdog and Western Union also launched the “Be Vigilant, Verify and Be Vocal” campaign against fraud in Sydney on Wednesday.

    Their campaign features Olympian Giaan Rooney, who was herself a victim of fraud earlier in the year when fraudsters racked up $17,500 on her credit card.

    “Fraud transcends the whole community. No-one is immune, it cuts across all Australians immaterial of age or status,” she says.[iii]

    These warnings seem fitting in light of security company McAfee’s recent survey on Australian online retail transactions.

    McAffee’s study featured a survey of 1005 Australians and found that one in three did not know how to recognise a secure web address. Over half also said they would provide their name and age, and 38% say they’d give their phone number to online retailers.[iv]

    But Mr Doessel says these basics of safe online commerce need to become common knowledge, as consumers can not only face a loss of money, but can potentially end up identity theft victims. He says this starts with two important points:

    “If the web address does not start with https:// your personal or financial details may not be safe – and the website may not be legitimate. Verify this before you proceed with entering your details,” Mr Doessel says.

    He also says people are giving away too much information to online retailers and there is a risk of that information going to identity thieves – whether that be due to a data breach or via a fraudulent retailer.

    “You have to think – does this store really need my date of birth? Only give information that is necessary for the transaction – and if your date of birth is one of them, I would be questioning why,” he says.

    Mr Doessel says identity theft can happen to anyone, and the victim may not always know the exact circumstances leading to debts in their name.

    “Sometimes the actual identity theft can have happened years ago, and it’s not until the victim applies for credit and is refused that they find out. The victim will have five to seven years of being blacklisted from credit unless they are able to prove they didn’t initiate the credit in the first place,” he says.

    He says if people worry they may have fallen victim 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.

    Please contact:

    Graham Doessel – CEO Ph 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://auspost.com.au/about-us/biggest-online-shopping-day.html

    [ii] http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/news/afp/2012/december/stay-safe-during-the-festive-season.aspx

    [iii] http://www.tradingroom.com.au/apps/view_breaking_news_article.ac?page=/data/news_research/published/2012/12/340/catf_121205_143800_0813.html

    [iv] http://www.smartcompany.com.au/internet/052956-virus-experts-warn-beware-of-the-12-online-scams-of-christmas.html?utm_source=SmartCompany&utm_campaign=6debdba9e3-Friday_16_November_201216_11_2012&utm_medium=email

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  • How Can You Prevent a Data Breach in Your Small Business?

    If we can learn anything from recent reports of more Australian cyber-crime victims, we must learn that personal information is so important to keep safe. Not only is today’s cyber-crook or scammer after your money – they are after the money you can borrow – through obtaining credit in your name. The recent arrests of seven Romanian people in Australia’s largest credit card data theft investigation in which those criminals had access to 500,000 Australian credit cards is a chilling reminder to all Australians that we are not immune to fraud and identity theft. The fact that these criminals were able to gain this information by hacking the databases of 100 Australian small businesses prompts us to look into what Australians can do to protect their customer information within their business network and keep their customer’s personal information and credit files safe.

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

    On Thursday, the Australian Federal Police announced in a joint release to the media, that they have arrested seven people in Romania in Australia’s largest credit card data theft investigation.

    The criminal syndicate had access to 500 000 Australian credit cards and approximately 30 000 credit cards have been used for fraudulent transactions amounting to more than $30 million…

    Stolen credit card data was being used to create false credit cards, enabling thousands of counterfeit transactions to be carried out in numerous overseas locations including Europe, Hong Kong, Australia and the United States.

    After the AFP identified the cause of the data compromise, the investigation grew to involve numerous international law enforcement partners and the Australian banking and finance sector also provided strong support…

    No Australian credit card holders lost money as a result of these fraudulent transactions. Australian financial institutions reimbursed the financial losses of cardholders…

    Abacus Australian Mutuals CEO Louise Petschler said today’s developments show that cyber crime is a global enterprise.

    “It underlines how a coordinated approach by law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, merchants and consumers can help fight card fraud. We all have a role to play to ensure credit card transactions are safe and secure,” Ms Petschler said.

    “Policing is only one part of the solution to stop data compromises – credit cards should be kept in a secure place, ATMS should be checked for any unusual attachments, personal details including PIN numbers should be protected, financial statements should be checked continuously, mail boxes should be secured and if possible, ‘chip and pin’ security implemented on credit cards,” Commander McEwen said.

    The ABC ran a story the same day on this issue, ‘Australian small businesses targetted by data theft syndicate.’

    It featured IT security expert, Nigel Phair from the Centre for Internet Safety at the University of Canberra. He says it proves that many small businesses are not taking data security seriously enough.

    While he’s surprised at the scale of the operation, Nigel Phair isn’t surprised Australia was a target.

    ”We are susceptible. We are a good economy, we are ripe for the picking for these international criminals,” Nigel Phair says.

    He says the issue for small businesses, is they spend next to no money on any IT security.

    He says it is relatively simple for criminals to get hold of those credit card details if a company doesn’t have any such security.

    “It really is a matter of just hacking into the organisation, finding where their credit card details are stored and then stealing them and then transacting them yourself, you know. And then the next question coming out of that is after you do a transaction with a small to medium enterprise, there’s no reason for them to retain your data,” he says.

    “In the small to medium category I would suggest most [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”][small businesses] aren’t adhering to it [best practice when it comes to credit card data].”

    Preventing Data Breaches in Small Businesses

    Following the introduction of amendments to Australia’s Privacy Laws in the form of the Privacy Amendments (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012, there will be more protection for individuals in regards to their personal information.

    How this will flow through to small business procedures is still to be officially outlined, as they will be exempt from some of the new laws.

    Small businesses looking to comply as much as possible with best practice guidelines for personal information security right now, should consult the Privacy Commissioner’s guidelines, found on the OAIC website.

    The Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim says appropriate security safeguards for personal information need to be considered across a range of areas. This could include maintaining physical security, computer and network security, communications security and personnel security. To meet their information security obligations, agencies and organisations should consider the following steps:

    • Risk assessment – Identifying the security risks to personal information held by the organisation and the consequences of a breach of security.

    • Privacy impact assessments – Evaluating, in a systemic way, the degree to which proposed or existing information systems align with good privacy practice and legal obligations.

    • Policy development – Developing a policy or range of policies that implement measures, practices and procedures to reduce the identified risks to information security.

    • Staff training – Training staff and managers in security and fraud awareness, practices and procedures and codes of conduct.

    • The appointment of a responsible person or position – Creating a designated position within the agency or organisation to deal with data breaches. This position could have responsibility for establishing policy and procedures, training staff, coordinating reviews and audits and investigating and responding to breaches.

    • Technology – Implementing privacy enhancing technologies to secure personal information held by the agency or organisation, including through such measures as access control, copy protection, intrusion detection, and robust encryption.

    • Monitoring and review – Monitoring compliance with the security policy, periodic assessments of new security risks and the adequacy of existing security measures, and ensuring that effective complaint handling procedures are in place.

    • Standards – Measuring performance against relevant Australian and international standards as a guide.

    • Appropriate contract management – Conducting appropriate due diligence where services (especially data storage services) are contracted, particularly in terms of the IT security policies and practices that the service provider has in place, and then monitoring compliance with these policies through periodic audits.

    He goes on to say that in in seeking to prevent data breaches, agencies and organisations should be considering their other privacy obligations to do with data collection and retention. Some breaches or risks of harm can be avoided or minimised by not collecting particular types of personal information or only keeping it for as long as necessary.

    Consider the following:

    •What personal information is it necessary to collect? – …“Personal information that is never collected, cannot be mishandled,” he says.

    • How long does the personal information need to be kept? –…”destruction or de-identification of information that this no longer required will usually be a reasonable step to prevent the loss or misuse of that information).”

    For a full and complete picture of the OAIC Privacy Guidelines, including the relevant Privacy Principles and obligations you may be subject to, we recommend you read the above information in its full context, in this article: the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Data breach notification: a guide to handling personal information security breaches – April 2012.

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  • Is your good name at risk? What you may not know about identity theft and your credit file

    It is reported that possibly as many as 24 per cent of Australians* have been, or knows someone who has been, a victim of identity crime in the last six months. As this week is National Identity Fraud Awareness Week, we are hoping to do our part to raise awareness about this crime. Victims are not always ‘gullible’ as may be the impression in the wider community. Many experts say it is not a matter of if you experience an identity theft attempt, but when. So we look at the facts on identity crime both worldwide and in Australia, and hope to educate more people about this new crime wave, as it can severely impact your credit file and hinder your ability to obtain credit. It could also help to pass the information on to someone you know.

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

    Australian Federal Police released a statement yesterday warning Australians to defend themselves against identity crime. AFP National Coordinator Identity Security Strike Team’s Darren Booy said this year’s focus is on limiting the amount of personl information that falls into the hands of criminals.

    “Identity fraud is an emerging threat to Australia and is growing rapidly, with identity fraudsters using increasingly sophisticated methods to manipulate their victims,” Superintendant Booy said in a statement to the media.

    Who commits identity theft?

    It can originate from someone you know – for example an acquaintance obtains identity documents or credit card details to impersonate you. Or more increasingly it comes from professional fraudsters whose main occupation is to steal personal information and financial details in order to commit fraud. These fraudsters are reportedly part of a network of criminals possibly involved in many other crimes. The Australian Federal Police recently stated that most large crime groups have built identity theft into their repertoire.

    The key to successful identity theft is obtaining your vital personal information. The internet is a big source of personal information and its ever increasing use makes you more vulnerable to identity crime than ever.  This means identity crime can have very long arms and can originate overseas. Social networking, online banking, company databases and email scams can all be havens for today’s cyber- criminal.

    You can also fall victim to a number of rampant telephone scams, credit card skimming, or criminals can also take to going through your rubbish bin for anything they may be able to use to steal your identity.

    Why is identity theft increasing?

    The pay-offs are huge for criminals. It is estimated by the Australian Crime Commission that identity crime costs Australians $1 billion a year.( OECD Committee on Consumer Policy, Online Identity Theft, February 2009, p. 37).

    In cyber circles alone, world estimated costs for cybercrime are staggering.

    Cyber-crime expert Mischa Glenny says that while there are no precise figures out there, the White House suggested in 2009 that cybercime and industrial espionage inflicts damage of around U.S.$1tn per year, which is almost 1.75% of GDP.

    “Traditional bank robbers must be absolutely gobsmacked when they hear sums like this being hoovered up by cyber- criminals week in, week out,” he said in an article Cybercrime: is it out of control?

    How would identity theft impact my life?

    We consider if someone is alerted to having money stolen from credit cards early, or perhaps is able to call their bank and stop fraud in its tracks – that they are the lucky ones.

    The unlucky identity theft victim is unaware of the fraud until their identity is misused, and their credit rating with it. When identity theft damages your credit rating – it is because the fraudster has been able to overtake credit accounts, or has gained access to enough personally identifiable information about you to forge new identity documents.

    This gives the fraudster access to credit cards, loans, even mortgages which allows them to extract significant amounts of money without you realising it straight away.

    Fraudsters are never kind enough to pay back the credit they obtain in your name. After 60 days you may be issued with written notification of non-payment and the intention for the creditor to list a default on your credit file. It is at this moment that some people who were previously unaware of any problems find out they have been victims of this more sophisticated type of identity theft.

    But often the credit file holder has also had their contact details changed – and this means it is not until they apply for credit in their own right and are refused that they find out about the identity fraud. This can be a significant time after the initial crime.

    When would I know if I have been a victim of identity theft?

    Some signs to watch out for include:

    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. Credit refusal

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

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

    What steps can I take to prevent 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 you no longer need.

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

    7. Do not 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 our personal information and for what purposes. What can these people do with the information they are gathering? For instance, is it really necessary for the site you are registering on to have your date of birth?

    9. Keep up to date with the latest scams by subscribing to the ACCC’s ‘SCAM watch’ website. For a list of ways your computer can put you at risk, visit the governments Stay Smart Online website www.staysmartonline.gov.au.

    10. Check your credit file regularly. A credit check at least every 12 months (which is free annually) will alert you to any suspicious activity with your credit file.

    If you think you might be vulnerable to identity theft, here are some things you need to do:

    What can I do if I suspect I am a victim of identity theft?

    1. Notify Police immediately. Many people do nothing due to embarrassment, or because they don’t believe the fraud was significant enough. But is only through this crime getting reported that statistics get collated, and we start to have any chance of catching the criminals.

    2. Notify creditors. You may need to cancel credit accounts.

    3. Obtain a credit report. This report is free once per year for every Australian who holds a credit file. It will indicate to you whether any of your contact details have changed, or whether there have been credit enquiries on your account. If you act quickly enough, you may be able to stop your credit rating from being affected by black marks which would come from fraudsters obtaining credit in your name.

    4. Notify credit reporting agencies of the possible fraud. They will be able to put an alert on your credit file.

    5. Police may assist you in obtaining a Victims of Commonwealth Identity Crime certificate, if they believe you are eligible. You can apply to a magistrate in your State for this certificate, which may help in recovering your credit rating or credit accounts. Victims need to have had a Commonwealth Indictable Offence committed against them. For more information, visit the Attorney-General’s website www.ag.gov.au.

    If you or someone you know needs help recovering their credit rating following identity theft, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs, www.mycra.com.au or call a Credit Repair Advisor tollfree on 1300 667 218 for confidential advice and help restoring your good name.

    The Australian Federal Police have established an Identity Crime Survey to test people’s vulnerability to identity crime, and we encourage everyone to take the test: http://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/campaigns/national-identity-fraud-awareness-week.aspx