MyCRA Specialist Credit Repair Lawyers

Tag: Graham Doessel

New recommendations to protect Telco customers welcomed

Media Release
12 September

Changes recommended by The Australian Communications and Media Authority in its final report into the telecommunications industry should finally see Telcos held accountable for poor customer service and complaints handling, according to a national credit repairer.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says if the ACMA’S changes are implemented swiftly across the industry, customers should reap the rewards.

“A shake up in the Telco industry is long overdue. Australians have been caught out time and again with botched bills and unresolved disputes with their Telco providers and their credit files have been damaged as a result,” Mr Doessel says.

He says about one third of his credit repair clients have had issues with their Telco provider which has left them out of pocket or facing black marks on their credit rating.

“Our clients have suffered greatly for the inadequate policies and procedures of many of the Telco providers in this country. We send out far too many complaints every day to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) requesting investigations into errors that have found their way onto customer’s credit files,” he says.

The ACMA is formally inviting the industry to incorporate the following changes to its Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code by February 2012:

1.Clearer pricing information in advertisements allowing consumers to more easily compare services.
2.Improved and more consistent pre-sale information about plans.
3.Developing meaningful performance metrics which allow consumers to compare providers.
4.Tools for consumers to monitor usage and expenditure.
5.Better complaints-handling by providers.

“We have closely consulted on these outcomes with consumers and industry and the overwhelming response has been that improvements are both urgent and necessary,” ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman says.

The ACMA says if the Telecommunications industry fails to develop a code that addresses these concerns, the ACMA will mandate the changes through direct regulation.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman recently revealed its findings on the extent of discontent within the industry in a report released last month from a survey of more than 500 Telco customers who had lodged complaints between July and August 2010.

The survey revealed more than half of consumers reported contact with their service providers five or more times before ringing the TIO. It also revealed most consumers reported spending three hours or more unsuccessfully trying to solve their complaint, with one in 5 saying they spent more than nine hours.

“Consumers who come to the TIO report spending substantial time and effort solving their complaints,” said Ombudsman Simon Cohen. “They report being transferred from department to department, not being transferred to supervisors and, perhaps most frustratingly, getting no solution or a broken promise for their efforts. They are – by any measure – resilient consumers.”

Mr Doessel says when disputing bills with the Telco industry, many people are unfairly penalised with a bad credit rating when the matter could have been dealt with better by the Telco in the first place.

“It is astounding the number of Telco credit file listings which contain errors, or have been put there unjustly or unfairly. Under current legislation, people do have the right to have credit file discrepancies resolved. But unfortunately it can be difficult for customers if they are not aware of the appropriate legislation and don’t have time to negotiate with creditors,” he says.

Under current legislation, an account which is more than 60 days in arrears can be listed by the creditor as being unpaid on the customer’s credit file. This ‘default’ is generally listed on a person’s credit file regardless of whether they believe there are errors in the details of the bill or with the payment amount.

“Defaults remain on a person’s credit file for 5 years. Currently, defaults – even those that are marked as ‘paid’, will prevent people from obtaining a home loan with most lenders. In fact, even having a few too many credit enquiries can be enough for an automatic decline” he says.

Mr Doessel is hoping the ACMA’s recommendations are taken on board swiftly to ensure a more transparent industry.

“Hopefully the changes will result in less confusion and complaints in general amongst Telco customers and fewer people who have their good name destroyed unnecessarily due to credit file defaults which should not be there,” he says.

/ENDS

Please contact:
Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au
Graham Doessel – (07) 3124 7133 www.mycra.com.au/ www.mycra.com.au/blog

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

Links:
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_410157
http://www.tio.com.au/media_statements/RELEASES/2011/08_12_Resilient_Consumers_Report.html

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

12/09/2011
Found a better home loan? Check your credit file before applying to refinance

Media Release

25 August 2011

Home owners refinancing in the wake of the government’s scrapping of home loan exit fees should consider the health of their credit file before they make a new application, according to a national credit repairer.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says existing home owners should exercise their right to a free credit report from the major credit reporting agencies prior to making any enquiries on a new home loan.

“People who already have a mortgage probably haven’t considered how important a clear credit rating is – even second time around. Regardless of whether people have been diligent payers, creditors can and do sometimes make mistakes with people’s credit files and some people end up with black marks against their name that shouldn’t be there,” Mr Doessel says.

A bad credit rating can result when a bill or repayment goes unpaid past 60 days. After this time, a creditor has the right to list that non-payment as a default on the person’s credit file.

“In the current finance market, any black mark generally results in an automatic decline with the major lenders. Even too many credit enquiries can blow someone’s chances of finance approval, so it really is important for people to know what is said about them on their credit report before they go in to refinance,” Mr Doessel says.

This comes as The Telegraph reported earlier this month existing home owners are staying put and refinancing in high levels.

It reported mortgage broker Australian Finance Group’s figures of about 39 per cent of their July mortgages were from people refinancing. AFG attributed this trend to the major banks competing very aggressively on fees and price since exit fees were banned.

“If you have a home loan at the moment, it’s the best time in 20 years to be looking for a better deal,” AFG spokesman Mark Hewitt said.

Mr Doessel says many of his clients have been in the middle of refinancing, whether to reduce their repayments or to get a better deal – when the bank has performed a credit check and found defaults against their name.

“Sometimes people don’t know their good name is compromised until they apply for finance and are refused. Many times if they had checked their credit file they may have had the chance to rectify any errors or save themselves the embarrassment prior to applying for the loan,” he says.

Mr Doessel says approximately 63% of the clients who contact his company for credit repair would be people who have defaults, writs or Judgments which are listed in error on their credit file.

“We have clients who are facing identity theft; some are caught in issues over separation from their spouse; some have been disputing a bill which went to default stage and many people are just victims of the fallout from inadequate billing procedures – wrong names, wrong addresses, human and computer errors,” he says.

Under current credit reporting legislation, consumers have the right to a free credit report from the credit reporting agencies once a year.

People need to contact all the credit reporting agencies to request their report – as creditors have access to 3 agencies within mainland Australia and 4 in Tasmania. The report must be provided to them in writing within 10 days of the request.

Consumers also have the right to have any inconsistencies on their credit file rectified. Defaults can be marked as paid if the account has been settled.

But Mr Doessel says listings are not removed by creditors unless the file holder can provide adequate reason and lots of evidence as to why the listing should not be there.

“Credit repair requires knowledge of the legislation, lots of evidence and perseverance. But for those people whose financial freedom is hindered because their credit file contains errors, it is a point worth fighting for,” he says.

/ENDS
Please contact:
Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

Graham Doessel – Director (07) 3124 7133 http://www.mycra.com.au

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

Link: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/money/better-mortgage-deals-beckon-as-banks-create-more-deals/story-e6frezc0-1226108846876

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

29/08/2011
Australian PlayStation users given free identity theft protection for a year

Finally Sony has recognised the possible threat that was made to the personal information of its 1.5 million Australian PlayStation users. After one of the world’s biggest data breaches occurred on the PlayStation Network in April, Sony has come to the party with an offer of free identity protection for the year.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports about this in its story ‘Sony offers free ID theft protection to Aussies.’

The package includes “CyberAgent Internet Surveillance”, whereby CS Identity’s technology scours the internet for unauthorised use of your identity. The firm conducts 24/7 monitoring of criminal web pages, chat rooms, bulletin boards and file sharing sites to identify trading or selling of customers’ personal information.

Identity restoration is also included, which involves the firm helping customers restore their identity after becoming the victim of identity theft.
The data stolen during the breach includes names, gender, addresses, email addresses, birthdays and login passwords for Sony’s PlayStation Network and its Qriocity music streaming service.

All up 1,560,791 Australian accounts were affected – 280,000 of which had credit card details. This is a fraction of the 77 million total accounts exposed worldwide.

Security experts have warned that even without credit card details, hackers could use the other stolen details to construct highly targeted and believable attacks designed to steal more personal information and/or infect computers.

The SMH says the Australian Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, has been investigating the breach, and they say it is still ongoing. In May we blogged about Australia’s Privacy Laws, as they relate to data breaches.

The Government is set to introduce tougher Privacy Laws following this data breach. One of which will be mandatory notification laws, helping to protect Australians from identity theft following any future data breaches, and another which will allow victims of identity theft following a data breach to be able to obtain some kind of compensation for any loss they may receive.

The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported one in 10 Australians who use the internet have lost money to online identity fraud over the past year, according to VeriSign Authentification Services. We recently blogged that these fraud figures have doubled since 2007. The cost of this is estimated to be $1.286 billion during the past year.

But the real cost of identity theft comes when a person’s credit file is impaired. When identity theft affects people’s credit files there is no reimbursement for losing the money they could borrow. But victims often lose their dream home, can’t borrow for their business and can’t get the new car they wanted.

Often victims don’t know about the fraud until they apply for credit and are refused because they have a bad credit rating.

Image: Arvin Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

25/08/2011
Parents’ lack of cyber-knowledge can lead to identity theft

Media Release

22 August 2011

Parents who hand over control of the home computer to their children due to a lack of their own technical knowledge are putting their personal information and their good name at risk, a national credit rating repairer warns.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says experience is showing us the ‘set and forget’ mentality of installing anti-virus software, and leaving the rest to our children is simply not effective in combating the current level of cyber-crime which is resulting in identity theft.

“Every day there’s more and more reported cases of online identity theft. Criminals can gain access to personal information in a host of ways, in order to commit identity fraud in the victim’s name. To expect our children to be able to effectively protect us and themselves against this crime is asking too much of them,” Mr Doessel says.

This comes as a recent Cyber-Survey commissioned by Telstra reveals more than one in three parents of children aged 10-17 admit their offspring’s tech skills exceed their own.

Darren Kane, Telstra’s Internet Trust and Safety Officer says Telstra’s inaugural Cyber-Safety Indicator shows more than 87 per cent of young people use the internet at least once a day, with almost half spending at least three hours a week on social networking sites.

“The research shows that a gap in technology skills is leading parents to believe that they are less capable of understanding how their kids might be exposing themselves to online risks such as cyber-bullying and identity theft,” Mr Kane says.

Mr Doessel says there is a real danger for children in downloading viruses, participating in scams, releasing credit card details and disclosing personal information and passwords to criminals. But he says this can all be minimised by parents taking an active role in their child’s internet use, and constantly updating their own cyber-awareness.

“Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in Australia and parents need a major update on their own knowledge of cyber-safety if they expect to be able to stay one step ahead of both their children and cyber-criminals,” he says.

The survey also showed mixed views on social networking: 36 per cent of parents trust their child’s use of social networking sites, while a quarter admit to worrying about them posting personal information online and 15 per cent worry about who their children talk to and what they talk about.

Mr Doessel says fraudsters are often extremely good at extracting personal information from people, and sites like Facebook are the perfect avenue for doing this.

“The amount of personal information that many young people have freely available for viewing on Facebook is frightening. We may say it is harmless, but what’s to say fraudsters can’t sit on that information and wait until their victims come of age to commit fraud in their name?”

“Fraudsters are also looking for credit card details, passwords and bank details to commit identity theft. The security of these details can all be compromised with the constant onslaught of viruses attacking the computers of most Australians these days,” he says.

Mr Doessel says a major downfall to being an identity theft victim is not only the initial loss of monies, but if the fraud sees accounts in the victim’s name going undetected and unpaid past 60 days, a person’s credit rating can be ruined for 5-7 years due to defaults.

“It need not be major fraud to be a massive blow to the identity theft victim. Unpaid accounts for as little as $100 can have the same negative impact on someone’s ability to obtain credit as a missed mortgage payment. So any misuse of someone’s credit file can be extremely significant,” he says.

For parents who want to educate themselves on cyber-crime, Mr Doessel recommends good places to start are the Government’s Stay Smart Online(www.staysmartonline.gov.au), and Cyber Smart websites (www.cybersmart.gov.au).

The Government recommends the close monitoring of all children’s internet use. Some of the other recommendations it makes include:

• Be aware of and involved in children’s internet use. Bookmark a list of ‘favourites’ for them. Encourage children to share new websites and explore together. Assist them whenever they need to disclose personal information.
• Talk to children about personal information and why it is special.
• Consider creating a family ‘fun’ email account separate from all other accounts for the child’s use. This way it can be deleted if misused.
• Consider using filters, labels and safe zones to manage children’s online access.
• Install and update anti-virus and other e-security software to restrict unauthorised access to data on the home computer and protect that data from corruption. Turn firewall on, set computer to automatic scan and update regularly.

If people suspect identity theft has affected their credit file, they can contact MyCRA Credit Repairs www.mycra.com.au.

/ENDS

Please contact:

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

Graham Doessel – Director 07 3124 7133

http://www.mycra.com.au MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s leader in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

Links:

http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/parents-say-tech-skills-are-a-barrier-to-keeping-kids-cyber-safe.xml
http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Parents/Cybersafety%20issues/Protecting%20personal%20information/Identity%20theft.aspx

Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

22/08/2011
Phone bill complaints – the dangers for your credit rating
Media Release

15 August 2011

Customers who are fed up with the process of disputing their phone or internet bills are warned they still need to follow the system to avoid finding themselves with a bad credit rating, according to a national credit file repairer.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says when disputing bills with Telco providers, people make two common mistakes which can cost them their good credit rating unnecessarily.

“Phone companies make mistakes with billing all the time, and undoubtedly some of those mistakes are difficult to resolve. Where their customers go wrong, is assuming just because they have spoken to someone on the phone about the bill, they are no longer obliged to comply with its due date.”

“Consumers also need to ensure when they are disputing a bill, they obtain any resolution in writing before assuming the matter is fixed,” Mr Doessel says.

Under current legislation, an account which is more than 60 days in arrears can be listed by the creditor as being unpaid on the customer’s credit file. This is regardless of whether the customer believes there are errors in the details of the bill or with the payment amount.

This comes as the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman reveals unhappy customers experience repeated and time consuming contact with Telcos before referring their matter to the TIO.

The TIO released findings from its research paper, Resilient Consumers, on Friday, a survey of more than 500 consumers who lodged complaints between July and August 2010.

The survey revealed more than half of consumers reported contact with their service providers five or more times before ringing the TIO. It also revealed most consumers reported spending three hours or more unsuccessfully trying to solve their complaint, with one in 5 saying they spent more than nine hours.

“Consumers who come to the TIO report spending substantial time and effort solving their complaints,” said Ombudsman Simon Cohen. “They report being transferred from department to department, not being transferred to supervisors and, perhaps most frustratingly, getting no solution or a broken promise for their efforts. They are – by any measure – resilient consumers.”

Mr Doessel says unresolved bill disputes with Telcos, where people end up with defaults on their credit rating would make up about one-third of his clients.

“Many clients get nowhere trying to dispute the bill with the phone company, and end up copping a default on the chin if they refuse to pay the bill.”

“Some also believe the matter has been resolved. It is not until they apply for credit in a different circumstance that they realise the Telco has placed a default on their credit record,” he says.

Defaults remain on a person’s credit file for 5 years. Under current legislation, defaults generally do not get removed from an individual’s credit file, but can be marked as paid if they have been paid.

“Currently, defaults – even those that are marked as ‘paid’, will prevent you from obtaining a home loan with most lenders. In fact, even having a few too many credit enquiries can be enough for an automatic decline” he says.

Mr Doessel says many people are unfairly penalised with a bad credit rating when the matter could have been dealt with better by the Telco in the first place.

“It is astounding the number of Telco credit file listings which contain errors, or have been put there unjustly or unfairly. Under current legislation, people do have the right to have credit file discrepancies resolved. But unfortunately it can be difficult for customers if they are not aware of the appropriate legislation and don’t have time to negotiate with creditors,” he says.

MyCRA Credit Repairs outlines the process they recommend people should take when disputing a bill in Australia:
1. Contact the bill provider as soon as you receive the bill and attempt to resolve the discrepancy.
2. Make a note of the name of each person you speak to. Note any resolutions that were reached and request those be sent to you in writing.
3. If the credit provider fails to honour the discrepancy, advise them you will be contacting the appropriate ombudsman.
4. If the due date for the bill approaches and the issue has not been resolved, pay the bill by the due date. You can seek reimbursement at a later date, but this will prevent a default for that bill being listed on your credit file.
5. Hang in there, play by the rules of the game and you should find your matter sorted out eventually. But at least once the matter is sorted out you aren’t left attempting to remove a default on your credit file as well.
/ ENDS

Please contact:
Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

Graham Doessel – Director Ph: 3124 7133 http://www.mycra.com.au/

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

Links:

http://www.tio.com.au/media_statements/RELEASES/2011/08_12_Resilient_Consumers_Report.html

Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
18/08/2011
Tax file number fraud almost doubled since last year

MEDIA RELEASE

8 August 2011

Tax payers should be on the lookout for a scam designed to extract tax file numbers for the purpose of identity fraud, which could leave their bank accounts empty and their credit files ineffective for up to five years, a national credit repairer warns.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says if people fall victim to this particular type of identity theft, they are at a high risk of having their credit file misused.

“A person’s tax file number is like the key to their credit file. If fraudsters are able to obtain this number, they have a crucial piece of information for building a duplicate identity in the victim’s name,” Mr Doessel says.

Mr Doessel says social networking sites like Facebook have made it easier for fraudsters to obtain the extra personal information a criminal could need for identity fraud.

“People post a whole host of information about themselves on sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, but people need to think – what would a criminal do with this information? If fraudsters already have a person’s tax file number, a simple check on Facebook for a date of birth can give them the tools they need to request replacement copies of personal documents, and use those documents to take out credit – even mortgage homes in the victim’s name,” he says.

This comes as The Telegraph reported yesterday that the practice of stealing tax file numbers has almost doubled in the past year, from 12,669 to 31,200 from the previous year.

The number of complaints made to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about the Australia Tax Office also increased almost 40 per cent, largely because of the stolen TFNs.

It reported that techniques to steal someone’s TFN include bogus approaches by phone calls, emails, letters, websites and text messages. People who share the same name and birthday are also in the “at risk” category.

The Government issued an alert on its Stay Smart Online website following the 2010 financial year about bogus emails from the ATO specific to e-tax.

“New fraudulent emails are circulating which pretend to be from the Australian Tax Office. Using social engineering tricks the criminals behind these emails try to trick you into providing personal information as a pretext to receiving a tax refund. This personal information can be used by the criminals to steal your identity,” the alert says.

The Telegraph reported an ATO spokeswoman as saying stolen TFNs and identity theft was a big problem – the effects could last for years and were a nightmare to clean up.

“When an identity is stolen it can take a long time to put everything right,” she said. “A person can face financial problems if someone commits fraud or other crimes using your identity.

Other impacts may be experienced in getting a job, a bank loan or other credit, renting a house or a car, or applying for government services or benefits.”She said the ATO had established a “client identity support centre” to assist people whose identities were stolen.

Mr Doessel says identity fraud can often go undetected until the victim applies for credit and is refused.

“The fraudster could abuse someone’s good name all over town and it is not until the victim applies for credit and is refused, that they learn about the identity theft and subsequent fraud,” Mr Doessel says.

Any kind of credit account (from mortgages and credit cards through to mobile phone accounts) which remains unpaid past 60 days can be listed as a default by creditors on the victim’s credit rating, and those defaults remain there for 5 years.

Mr Doessel says the consequence of people having a black mark on their credit rating is generally an inability to obtain credit.

“Most of the major banks refuse credit to people who have defaults, or even too many credit enquiries, so it is really essential to keep a clean credit record,” he says.

By law in Australia, if a listing contains inconsistencies the credit file holder has the right to negotiate their amendment or removal.

“To clear their good name, the identity theft victim needs to prove to creditors they did not initiate the credit – which can be difficult. Not only are victims generally required to produce police reports, but large amounts of documentary evidence to substantiate to creditors the case of identity theft,” Mr Doessel says.

Contact www.mycra.com.au for more details on credit repair following identity theft.

/ENDS

Please contact:
Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Mob: 0450554 007 media@mycra.com.au

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

Links

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/big-new-crime-is-to-steal-you/story-fn7y9brv-1226109959920

http://www.ssoalertservice.net.au/view/8cba427852e2faa582ca0ed3391cfcd3

Image: nuttakit/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

15/08/2011
Is your child’s internet use putting your credit rating at risk?

Media Release

18 July 2011

Parents who allow children and young adults to have free reign of the computer, and who don’t apply meaningful cyber-security measures at home are putting themselves at risk of identity theft, and threatening the family’s good credit rating, a national credit rating repairer warns.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says experience is showing us it is not enough for people to simply download anti-virus software and assume they are protected against identity theft.

“Every day there’s more and more reported cases of identity theft via the cyber-world, with criminals gaining access to personal information online, in order to commit identity fraud in the victim’s name.”

“While the internet is an essential tool for children to be competent with, parents have to be realistic about what kind of protection they are affording their family when they allow the control of the family computer to rest solely with their child,” he says.

Mr Doessel says the dangers of children downloading viruses, participating in scams, releasing credit card details and disclosing personal information and passwords to criminals can all be minimised by parents taking an active role in their child’s internet use, and constantly updating their own cyber-awareness.

“Gone are the days of people joking about how their children’s knowledge of the internet has surpassed their own – the scary fact is it’s happened. The threat of criminals taking advantage of a parent’s lack of expertise is real, and people should do all they can to stay ahead of what is becoming the fastest growing crime in the country,” he says.

A U.S. study released earlier this year, showed that of the 20 million minors who actively used the social networking site ‘Facebook’ in the past year, 7.5 million—or more than one-third—were younger than 13 and not supposed to be able to use the site.

“Among young users, more than 5 million were 10 and under, and their accounts were largely unsupervised by their parents,” the report revealed.

It also revealed that one million children were harassed, threatened, or subjected to other forms of cyber-bullying on Facebook in the past year.

“Clearly, using Facebook presents children and their friends and families with safety, security, and privacy risks,” the report said.

Mr Doessel says fraudsters are often extremely good at extracting personal information from adults, so doing the same with children would be a walk in the park.

“The amount of personal information that many young people have freely available for viewing on Facebook is frightening. We may say it is harmless, but what’s to say fraudsters can’t sit on that information and wait until their victims come of age to commit fraud in their name?”

“Other parents alarmingly give over their credit card details to their children to use when downloading music or games, or use the same passwords for ITunes that they may use for their bank accounts. This information in the wrong hands can see someone taking out credit in the victim’s name, and completely destroying their financial future” he says.

Mr Doessel says a major downfall to being an identity theft victim is not only the initial loss of monies, but if the fraud sees accounts in the victim’s name going undetected and unpaid past 60 days, a person’s credit file can be ruined for 5-7 years due to defaults.

“It need not be major fraud to be a massive blow to the identity theft victim. Unpaid accounts for as little as $100 can have the same negative impact on someone’s ability to obtain credit as a missed mortgage payment. So any misuse of someone’s credit file can be extremely significant,” he says.

For parents who want to educate themselves about the risks of cyber-crime, the Government has put together the CyberSmart website, encouraging parents and kids to be aware of the dangers the internet may pose for children.

The Government recommends the close monitoring of all children’s internet use. Some of the other recommendations it makes include:

– Be aware of and involved in children’s internet use. Bookmark a list of ‘favourites’ for them. Encourage children to share new websites and explore together. Assist them whenever they need to disclose personal information.

– Talk to children about personal information and why it is special.

– Consider creating a family ‘fun’ email account separate from all other accounts for the child’s use. This way it can be deleted if misused.

– Consider using filters, labels and safe zones to manage children’s

– Install and update anti-virus and other e-security software to restrict unauthorised access to data on the home computer and protect that data from corruption. Turn firewall on, set computer to automatic scan and update regularly.

If people suspect identity theft has affected their credit file, they can contact MyCRA Credit Repairs www.mycra.com.au for help with obtaining a copy of their credit report, and removing any discrepancies from their credit file.

/ENDS

Please contact:

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations
Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

Graham Doessel – Director

Ph: 07 3124 7133

http://www.mycra.com.au

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

Links:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazinearchive/2011/june/electronics-computers/state-of-the-net/facebook-concerns/index.htm

http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/

http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Parents/Cybersafety%20issues/Protecting%20personal%20information/Identity%20theft.aspx

Image: Picture Youth / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

21/07/2011
Australia’s new credit reporting laws: what they mean for home buyers

MEDIA RELEASE:

14 July 2011

Proposed changes to Australia’s credit reporting laws will give those home buyers who would otherwise not have been approved due to minor credit defaults more chances for finance, according to a national credit rating repairer.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says the ‘comprehensive credit reporting’ changes currently under review by the Senate Finance and Public Administration should help lenders gain a clearer picture of a home buyer’s suitability for finance, and should help to alleviate unfair ‘knock-backs.’

“The problem with the information currently recorded on people’s credit reports, is that only negative data is displayed. There is no data showing any positive repayment history, the type of debt, or the outstanding amount. So utilities bills are treated the same as mortgage defaults. Currently we have hundreds of clients who are unable to secure a home loan due to being in default on phone bills – some for as little as $100,” Mr Doessel says.

He says the future of credit reporting will allow lenders to make a decision for home loan suitability based on more extensive history of the borrower. The proposed ‘comprehensive reporting’ scheme would include:

-the type of each current credit account opened (for example, mortgage, personal loan, credit card);

-the date on which each current credit account was opened;

-the limit of each current credit account (for example, initial advance, amount of credit approved, approved limit); and

-the date on which each credit account was closed.

This follows new legislation released by the Government early this year requiring lenders to prove the suitability of borrowers to make repayments before allowing access to further credit.

Mr Doessel says on the other hand there will be some buyers who are disadvantaged by the changes, particularly those who have a tendency to over-inflate their suitability.

“It will require home buyers to be truthful about the current credit they have taken out, and the limits on each account. The new system may reveal some people are considered to be over-extending themselves and are rejected where they normally would have been approved. But in my line of work, many buyers are absolutely suitable to service a home loan, but have small-time defaults which hold them back.”

“The other group that will be disadvantaged are those who are late with their payments for major credit. Under the new laws, late payments to a regulated NCCP credit provider such as a bank can be recorded as such, regardless of whether the late payment gets to default stage. Utility providers are not regulated in the same way, so normal rules for defaults will apply,” Mr Doessel says.

He says the new laws will mean it is more important than ever for people to request regular updates on their credit report.

“With all the new data available, there will be more opportunity for errors to occur. People should obtain a free copy of their credit report every 12 months from one or more of the credit reporting agencies in Australia, to ensure their file does not contain any inconsistencies,” he says.

Mr Doessel says if people find information listed on their credit file which they believe is in error, is unjust or just shouldn’t be there, they do have the right to have that information rectified. He does say however, that it that can be a difficult process for the individual.

“Navigating credit reporting legislation and negotiating with creditors is not easy. Unfortunately in most cases, if people attempt to remove the default themselves they can do more harm 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.

Contact www.mycra.com.au for more help with obtaining a credit report and credit repair.

/ENDS.

Please contact:

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations

0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

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

Link:

http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/55.%20More 20Comprehensive%20Credit%20Reporting/models-more comprehensive-credit-reporting

Image: Danilo Rizzuiti/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

18/07/2011
End of financial year best time to check our credit file

Media Release: The end of the financial year is an opportune time for people to check their credit rating and get it in order, according to a national credit repairer.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says if people are reviewing their yearly phone records, bank statements, and credit card statements for tax time, it can be a good idea for them to request a credit report as well from credit reporting agencies,to cross-check any adverse listings which may have been placed on their credit file.

“The problem with credit reporting in Australia is that many people are unaware of how the system works, and what their rights are. It is important for people to know they can apply for a copy of their credit file for free every year and the end of financial year is a great time to do this, because people already have their paperwork out,” Mr Doessel says.

He says it is essential for people to know what is said about them on their credit report – as there is opportunity for errors to occur when creditors apply listings to credit files. Even if people believe they have a good payment history, their credit report may still contain errors.

“Many of my clients have impeccable repayment histories and would have never dreamed they would end up with a default. Let me tell you mistakes do often happen. Sometimes simple human error by the creditor leads to adverse listings put there incorrectly,” he says.

A small scale study conducted by the Australian Consumer Association (now Choice Magazine) in 2004, revealed a staggering 30% of credit files were likely to contain errors.

“In our view, there are serious, systematic flaws which are leaving an increasing number of Australian consumers vulnerable to defamation, mis-matching and harassment,” the report said.

A credit file exists for anyone who has ever been ‘credit active’ and is used by creditors to assess the risk and borrowing capacity of potential borrowers.

The most common type of adverse listing is a default. Defaults are put there by creditors when accounts have remained unpaid for more than 60 days.

Defaults remain on a person’s credit file for 5 years from the date of listing, and have the potential to severely impact a person’s ability to obtain credit.

“Currently, any default can be enough for an automatic decline with most of the major banks. Many lenders are even rejecting loans for excess enquiries such as two in thirty days or six within the year. Some people nmay even be unable to take out a mobile phone plan in their name if they have defaults on their credit file.”

“It also affects the type of home loan people may be eligible for, the interest rate they are offered and price of establishing the loan. The lending options become more expensive and limited” Mr Doessel says.

People can contact Veda Advantage, Dun and Bradstreet and Tasmanian Collection Services (if they live in Tasmanoia) to request their free report. A creditor may have listed defaults with one or all of these credit reporting agencies.

If people find errors, or feel a listing is unjust or shouldn’t be there, they do have the right to have incorrect information rectified.

Mr Doessel says if people are in a hurry or it seems too difficult, they can use a credit repairer who can work on their behalf.

“A credit repairer should be able to completely remove offending blemishes from someone’s credit file,” he says.

Contact www.mycra.com.au for more details on how to check and repair credit files.

/ENDS

Please contact

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations

Ph: 3124 7133 Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

30/06/2011
Yes, You Can Get A Free Copy Of Your Credit File In Australia
There has been a lot of chatter recently about Identity Theft, Online Scams and such and one of the best ways to be on the look out for these issues is to grab hold of your free credit report every 12 months..

There are 3 main credit reporting agencies in Australia and the largest is Veda Advantage. (formerly known as Baycorp Advantage and before that CRAA)

The three credit reporting agencies are:
- Veda Advantage ( http://www.vedaadvantage.com.au )
- Dun & Bradstreet ( http://www.dnb.com.au )
- Tasmanian Collection Service ( http://www.tascol.com.au ) Only if you live in ‘Tassy”
Each one of these can provide you with a FREE copy of your credit file within 10 working days upon request.

MyCRA Credit Repair suggests you put a reminder into your diary on your birthday every year to jump online and grab a copy of your credit file.

Then check to confirm you recognise each and every entry on on your credit report. If you do find anything that you don’t immediately recognise, like an application for credit that you don’t recall or a defalt for a debt you know nothing about:
1. Contact the creditor immediately
2. find out what it was for
  - If you still have no idea, Contact the Federal Police Immediately !
3. If you have defaults that are incorrect, unfair or just shouldn’t be there,
  - Dispute them with your creditor and ask that they be removed immediately..
If you have trouble or in a hurry, you may choose to engage a professional Credit Repair Firm like MyCRA Credit Rating Repair

For more information on getting a free copy of your credit file, please go to http://www.mycra.com.au/credit-file-request/
07/06/2011
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

Image: Felixco, Inc. / FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

27/05/2011
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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27/05/2011
Sony dangles a carrot to entice users back to its system

Sony has offered a sweetener in the hope that most of its 17 million users will be enticed back to using its services after the PlayStation data breach last month.

Sony has offered its customers a ‘welcome back’ package that includes 30 days of free access to PlayStation Plus, 30 days of free access to Music Unlimited by Qriocity, as well as free identity theft monitoring from Debix, and a promise of free downloads in the future.

In the video message below to customers, Executive Deputy President of Sony, Kazuo Hirai says all PS3 customers must change their PSN and Qriocity account passwords upon their return.

“Your new password can only be changed on the same PS3 in which your account was activated or through validated e-mail confirmation,” Hirai said. Customers will also have to update their PS3 firmware to receive the latest security patches,

16/05/2011
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.

05/05/2011
Identity theft danger – PlayStation account information hacked worldwide

PlayStation users should contact their banks immediately.

Sony Australia has confirmed today that the personal information of all PlayStation Network account holders worldwide has fallen into the wrong hands.

All users are now at grave risk of identity theft with the hackers having access to all names, addresses, email addresses, birthdates, usernames, passwords, logins, security questions and more. The NSW Police fraud squad says this is enough information for the hackers to even take out loans on the vicitms’ behalf.

Detective Superintendant Col Dyson from the NSW Police fraud squad spoke with Brisbane Times reporter Asher Moses about the scandal. See the full story http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/digital-life/games/playstation-hacking-scandal-police-chief-says-contact-your-bank-now-20110427-1dvts.html.

Det. Sup. Dyson says those who obtained the personal information could use it to commit identity crimes.

“Personal or financial information is a valuable commodity and generally these days we find organised groups harvesting information and then selling it to other groups to use” he says.

Affected Australians are advised to consider cancelling their credit cards or at the very least call their banks to inform them that their cards may have been compromised. People should also change their passwords if they use their same PlayStation Network password for other services.

This scandal personally affects me and my family as we are one of those 77 million global users who are potentially at risk.

What worries me as much as this breach having occurred, is the length of time it has taken Sony to inform its customers. The breach occurred as early as possibly April 17. This means the hackers have had a whole week to use our information or on-sell it to professional fraudsters before we (the public) could do anything about it.

In Australia, we do not have mandatory notification laws for when data breaches occur. We are not ‘covered’ for when these instances happen and there is no obligation for companies to inform us when our personal information has been compromised.

The Federal Government must realise that Australians cannot escape being part of a global marketplace, and as such our government has an obligation to protect us from possible identity theft in that marketplace.

The Australian Crime Commission points to identity theft as being the ‘fastest growing crime in Australia’. http://www.crimecommission.gov.au/media/faq/financial_crime.htm.

It certainly feels that way on days like this.

There is more our government can do and there’s more we as a nation can do to ensure we don’t fall behind when it comes to personal information security. This includes everyone getting educated on how identity crime can potentially affect us.

Identity theft can hit twice – once when we are first scammed, then secondly when our credit files are damaged. When someone steals our identity it can often mean a series of defaults on our credit files. Defaults can ruin a credit rating for up to 5 years – so essentially we pay for 5 years for being victims of identity theft unless we go about having our credit files repaired after the damage has occurred.

Recently we worked with the Federal Police to help repair the credit file of an identity theft victim. Basically the victim was unable to obtain credit at all with those defaults on her file – even though she was not the cause of them. We eventually got the defaults removed for her, but it was a difficult process and one she said she would have found almost impossible to do on her own.

So as a PlayStation user, and realising how deep this could go, be on the lookout for scams. Be wary of any strange calls, any emails asking for confirmation of personal details and credit card details and do contact your bank immediately.

Visit www.mycra.com.au for more information on identity theft and credit files and how we can protect ourselves.

http://mycra.com.au/blog/2011/03/identity-theft-the-ticking-time-bomb-in-australia/

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

27/04/2011