MyCRA Specialist Credit Repair Lawyers

Tag: Identity Theft

  • Christmas shoppers a target for fraudsters: the 12 scams of Christmas

    This Christmas, you may unknowingly put your credit rating at risk. We look at how ‘safe’ Australians really are online, and discover the ways you might wind up an identity theft victim and with a whole lot of bad credit history for Christmas.

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

    We are connected to the world via the web at a rate like never seen before. And because of this, more people than ever will be shopping online for Christmas presents this year.

    Here’s why:

    A. It’s easy…think parking, think crowds and think traipsing through shop after shop which for many people looks like too much effort.

    B. It saves time…the Christmas period is shocking for stretching time to the limit -work’s busy, your social life’s busy and the last thing many have time to do is any of A!

    C. It’s convenient…you can shop when you feel like it, at a time that works for you.

    D. It’s more relaxed…you can do it in your pyjamas, and you can do it with a glass of scotch.

    E. In some cases it may be cheaper…you can find cheap deals on goods, and you can also shop at different stores to get one-off items.

    BUT a word of warning people….

    If you’re not careful, it can be the most costly way to shop.

    Some alarming statistics about Australian online shoppers have just come to light from security company McAfee. Their new Holiday Shopping Study has found that out of 1,005 Australian adults, one in 10 believe there is no risk in connecting to free Wi-Fi, and nearly one in three don’t know how to identify a secure shopping site.

    If this is true – shoppers – get to know very quickly – or put down that ipad and get back to the shops otherwise you can not only risk losing money by paying through illegitimate websites but you could also download a virus or at worst be at risk of ruining your credit rating.

    There are scammers out everywhere willing to take your money – and they love Christmas time. You’re feeling generous and you’re a bit distracted. From a fraudster’s point of view, that’s perfect!

    McAfee’s study was featured in online business publication Smart Company’s article late last week titled ‘Virus experts warn: beware of the 12 online scams of Christmas’:

    “What makes the finding worse is that a third of Australians have either personally fallen victim to an online scam, or know someone who has.

    This is an extremely important finding, McAfee points out, as Australia has the highest rate of smartphone and tablet ownership out of all the countries surveyed including the United States and Canada.

    An impressive 69% of Aussies use a smartphone, tablet, or both – so it makes all the more sense they need to stay safe online.

    Yet we seem more willing than ever to disregard online safety. Over half of Australians say they’ll provide their name and age, and 38% say they’d give their phone number.
    But 25% don’t even pay attention to permissions when downloading apps,” the article says.

    Online fraud can be a basic scam to lure funds, but it is also becoming more and more sophisticated, and cyber-criminals are not only looking to steal credit card details, but are targeting your personal information.

    Identity theft is getting much more sophisticated as profits get more lucrative. Many fraudsters are into building a profile of their victim – obtaining layers of information which allows them to access large amounts of credit in the victim’s name.

    Some victims have had credit cards and loans taken out, even properties mortgaged in their names.

    The difficulty for recovery when someone has tapped in to your credit rating is that generally you have defaults listed in your name, which basically means for 5 years your ability to obtain credit is ruined.

    McAfee warns consumers in its blog ‘The top 12 scams of Christmas to watch out for’ – 2012. Take a look at make sure you don’t get caught out.

    1) Social media scams—Many of us use social media sites to connect with family, friends, and co-workers over the holidays, and the cybercriminals know that this is a good place to catch you off guard because we’re all “friends,” right? Here are some ways that criminals will use these channels to obtain shopper’s gift money, identity or other personal information:

    • Scammers use channels, like Facebook and Twitter, just like email and websites to scam consumers during the holidays. Be careful when liking Fan Pages, clicking on fake alerts from friends’ accounts that have been hacked, taking advantage of raffle’s, ads and deals that you get from “friends,” or installing suspicious “holiday deal” apps that give your private data away.

    • Twitter ads and special discounts for popular gifts are especially popular, and utilize blind, shortened links, many of which could easily be malicious. Criminals are getting savvier with authentic-looking social ads and deals that take consumers to legitimate looking websites. In order to take advantage of the deals or contests, they ask them for personal information that can obtain a shopper’s credit card number, email address, phone number or home address.

    2) Malicious Mobile Apps—As smartphone users we are app crazy, downloading over 25 billion apps[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”][1] for Android devices alone! But as the popularity of applications have grown, so have the chances that you could download a malicious application designed to steal your information or even send out premium-rate text messages without your knowledge. Consider this: A recent study found that 33%[2] of apps ask for more information than they need, such as access to your contacts or location.

    •TIP: So, if you unwrap a new smartphone this holiday season, make sure that you only download applications from official app stores and check other users’ reviews, as well as the app’s permission policies, before downloading. Software, such as McAfee Mobile Security, can also help protect you against dangerous apps.

    3) Travel Scams—Many of us travel to visit family and friends over the holidays and begin our journey online looking for deals on airfare, hotels, and rental cars. But before you book, keep in mind that the scammers are looking to hook you with too-good-to-be-true deals. Phony travel webpages with beautiful pictures and rock-bottom prices are used to get you to hand over your financial details.

    • Even when you’re already on the road you need to be careful. For example, the FBI recently warned travelers of a hotel Wi-Fi scam in which a malicious pop-up ad prompts computer users to install a popular software product before connecting to their hotel Wi-Fi.[3] If you agree to the installation, it downloads malware onto your machine.

    • TIP: Remember to perform a security software update before traveling, to guard you against the latest scams.

    4) Holiday Spam/Phishing— If you’re like most people, you’re probably familiar with spam emails containing questionable offers. But get ready, because soon many of these spam emails will take on holiday themes. Cheap Rolex watches and pharmaceuticals may be advertised as the “perfect gift” for that special someone. McAfee also expects to see an increase is holiday-themed phishing emails that try to trick you into revealing financial or personal details by posing as an offer from a legitimate business.
    TIP: Remember never to respond to a spam email, or click on an included link.

    5) The new iPad, iPhone 5, and other hot holiday gift scams—The kind of excitement and buzz surrounding Apple’s new iPad and iPhone 5 is just what cybercrooks dream of when they plot their scams. They will mention must-have holiday gifts in dangerous links, phony contests and phishing emails as a way to grab computer users’ attention. Once they’ve caught your eye, they can try to get you to reveal personal information or click on a dangerous link that could download malware onto your machine.

    TIP: Be suspicious of any deal mentioning hot holiday gift items—especially at extremely low prices—and try to verify the offer with the retailer involved.

    6) Skype Message Scare—People around the world will use Skype to connect with loved ones this holiday season, but they should be aware of a new Skype message scam that attempts to infect their machine, and even hold their files for ransom.

    The threat appears as a Skype instant message with the scam line “Lol is this your new profile pic?”. If you click on the included link, a Trojan downloads onto your hard drive, blasts the dangerous link to all of your contacts, and can even try to extort money from some PC users to regain access to their files.
    TIP: Never click on a suspicious link, even if it appears to come on from someone you know.

    7) Bogus gift cards—Gift cards are probably the perfect choice for a lot of people on your holiday list, and given their popularity, cybercriminals can’t help but want to get in on the action by offering bogus gift cards online.

    TIP: Be wary of buying gift cards from third parties; it’s best to buy from the official retailer. Just imagine how embarrassing it would be to find out that the gift card you gave your mother-in-law was fraudulent!

    8) Holiday SMiShing — “SMiSishing” is phishing via text message. Just like with email phishing, the scammer tries to lure you into revealing information or performing an action you normally wouldn’t do by pretending to be a legitimate organization. Since many of us like to keep a close eye on our bank accounts during the holidays, be wary of SMiShing messages that appear to come from your bank, asking you to verify information or visit a phony webpage.

    TIP: Remember that real banks won’t ask you to divulge personal information via text message. If you have any questions about your accounts, you should contact your bank directly.

    9) Phony E-tailers–No matter what gift you’re looking for, chances are you can find it quickly and easily online, but you still want to be careful in selecting which site to shop. Phony e-commerce sites, that appear real, try to lure you into typing in your credit card number and other personal details, often by promoting great deals. But, after obtaining your money and information, you never receive the merchandise, and your personal information is put at risk.

    • This is exactly what happened to customers of harbourelectronics.com, a copycat site of electronics repair store harborelectronics.net. It turns out that harbourelectronics.com was one of a host of the bogus e-commerce sites coming from the same IP address.

    • TIP: That’s why it’s important to shop at trusted and well-known e-commerce sites. If you’re shopping on a site for the first time, check other users’ reviews and verify that the phone number listed on the site is legitimate.

    10) Fake charities—This is one of the biggest scams of every holiday season. As we open up our hearts and wallets, the bad guys hope to get in on the giving by sending spam emails advertising fake charities. They may try to fool you into thinking that they are a real charity, such as the Red Cross, with a stolen logo and copycat text, or the charity may be entirely invented. For example, one man ran a bogus charity for the “U.S. Navy Veterans Association” and gathered $2 million from donors over five years![4]

    • TIP: If you want to give, it’s always safer to visit the charity’s legitimate website, and do a little research about the charity before you donate.

    11) Dangerous e-cards—E-Cards a popular way to send a quick “thank you” or holiday greeting, and there are plenty of free and paid e-card sites out there. And while most e-cards are safe, some are malicious and may contain spyware or viruses that download onto your computer once you click on the link to view the greeting.

    • Others ask you to click on an attachment to view the card, and then download a Trojan onto your machine. That’s why you should look for clues that the e-card is legitimate.

    • TIP: Make sure that the card comes from a well-known e-card site by checking the domain name of the included link. Also check to see that the sender is someone you actually know, and that there are no misspellings or other clues that the card is a fake.

    12) Phony classifieds—Online classified sites may be a great place to look for holiday gifts and part-time jobs, but beware of phony offers that asked for too much personal information or ask you to wire funds via Western Union, since these are most likely scams. If you’re going to purchase an item or apply for a job, try to do it in person in a public place.

    TIP: When purchasing an item, pay in cash and never agree to pay for an item before receiving it.

    If you do get caught out falling for a scam this Christmas, or clicking on a dodgy link – it is best to take steps to secure your computer (change passwords, run virus scans) your bank accounts, and also your credit file. Alert your Creditors to a possible identity theft issue and also contact the credit reporting agencies which hold information about your credit file. It is a good idea to check your credit file – and you can do this for free once per year. A credit report will be mailed to you within 10 working days.

    If you find anything on your credit file that doesn’t look right, or points to possible identity theft, let Police know immediately. If you need help recovering your good name so that you can take out credit in the next five years, you may need to call a professional credit repairer to help. Contact us on 1300 667 218 for more information on credit repair following identity theft or when any credit listing should not be on your credit file.

    Image: photostock/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

    Image 2: Salvatore Vuono/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

    Image 3: Stuart Miles/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • The risks you’re taking with credit this Christmas that could see you left without a home

    Media Release

    The risks you’re taking with credit this Christmas that could see you left without a home

    A consumer advocate for accurate credit reporting warns Australians who use credit over the Christmas period they should be cautious about the ways their credit rating can be put at risk, which could see them refused finance in the New Year.

    CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs, Graham Doessel says after the highs of Christmas, the New Year can see people weighed down by credit stress, and the reason is not always due to overspending.

    “Many people throw things on credit at Christmas and think nothing of it, but we should be on guard for the ways this can potentially lead to credit stress and bad credit history in the following months.”

    “If you’re lumbered with a bad credit rating, you’re generally locked out of mainstream credit for a significant time – between 5 and 7 years. You can be refused a home loan, and most other credit for that matter – even mobile phone plans.” Mr Doessel says.

    He says people have an increased risk of damaging their credit rating during Christmas and covers 5 major ways this can occur:

    1. Identity theft.

    Identity theft and fraud has grown in severity and volume to now be the fastest growing crime in Australia.[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][i]

    Scammers are out in full force at Christmas, people can be lax with their personal information and credit cards are used more frequently and at a variety of locations.

    Security company, McAfee’s recently released their warning ’12 scams of Christmas’ hoping to warn consumers about where cybercriminals may be looking to take advantage of consumers over the festive months. Scams warnings are given for fake vacations, fake gifts and e-cards, malicious mobile apps and a multitude of online dangers including bogus websites and phishing scams.[ii]

    “If fraudsters are able to get hold of your personal details they have the key to your good credit rating. They can run up credit all over town in your name. Often it’s not until you apply for credit in your own right and are refused that you realise your credit file has been misused – but by then it’s too late. Your life is basically set to be turned upside down,” Mr Doessel says.

    2. Overlooking bill payments.

    With the busy lead up to Christmas, some people can find they overlook repayment of basic accounts. Then if they go on vacation, it can easily escalate the overdue account into default status.

    “Overdue bills for as little as $100 can be just as damaging to your credit file as missing a mortgage repayment. Any credit account which is more than 60 days overdue can be listed by the Creditor and will show on your credit rating. Basically any negative listing will hinder your chances of getting credit in the future,” Mr Doessel says.

    3. Moving and transfers.

    “A change of address is a very common reason bills and warning notices go unnoticed and unpaid – and you can have a bad credit rating attached to you that you have no idea about until you apply for a home loan,” he says.

    As Christmas and New Year is a very common time for transfers and other work changes to occur that could see people moving interstate, people should tie up all loose ends at their current address, ensuring all changes of address and accounts are settled and confirmed in writing to avoid being blacklisted for credit.

    4. Over committing and spiralling into debt.

    Some people feel the pressure to give so much they do so at the expense of their own budget and ultimately end up with a debt they cannot pay back.

    The consequence of this can be getting into more debt to pay the original debt. People then end up with loan commitments they can’t meet or other bills get neglected because they just can’t afford to pay it all. Creditors start to close in and their credit file is damaged.

    5. Overlooking errors and omissions from Creditors.

    Creditors may also be affected by Christmas. The volume of transactions may increase while staff decrease, putting pressure on some Creditors’ systems.

    For this reason it is crucial for people to keep watch on their own finances.

    “Despite being a busy period for all families, it is important to check your bank statements and bills at this time. Creditors can and do make mistakes with billing. Also keep abreast of which bills are due and when. If you notice you haven’t received a bill and you believe it’s due, you should chase it up. No news is in this case not good news, and could mean you have an overdue account noted on your file,” he says.

    Christmas is also a good time for people to check their credit file. They can request a free copy of their credit file from one or more of the credit reporting agencies and a credit report will be sent within 10 working days.

    “If there are errors on your credit report, or it contains negative listings – defaults, writs or Judgments which are unfair or shouldn’t be there, then it is important to know you have the right to have them rectified or removed,” Mr Doessel says.

    Contact MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs for more information on credit rating repair on 1300 667 218.

    /ENDS.

    Please contact:

    Graham Doessel – Director 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 leading credit rating repairer. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

    Image: sixninepixels/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     

     

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    [i] http://www.crimecommission.gov.au/publications/crime-profile-series-fact-sheet/identity-crime

    (2) https://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/12-scams-of-christmas-2012[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Beware Christmas ‘spamvertising’ could threaten your credit file

    Fraudsters are out in full force this festive season and are planting cyber-bombs for you to unknowingly let off in your computer. We look at some of the things to watch out for, and what falling for a scam or downloading a virus could do to your credit file.

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

    According to an article ‘Cybercriminals start spamvertising Xmas themed scams and malware campaigns’ in online tech magazine ZD Net, security researchers from Symantec are warning about a recently intercepted flood of Xmas themed malicious and fraudulent campaigns.

    “Over the past year, we’ve seen numerous attempts to entice users into clicking on these links, by impersonating a legitimate message or notification from a respected, trusted and well known brands. These are prone to intensify over the next two months,” ZD Net’s Dancho Danchev writes.

    In an example of spamvertising, recently cybercriminals spamvertised millions of emails impersonating the popular e-card service 123greetings.com in an attempt to trick end and corporate users into clicking on client-side exploits and malware serving links, courtesy of the Black Hole web malware exploitation kit.

    According to Security experts Sophos, Black Hole malware is marketed and sold to cybercriminals in a typical professional crimeware kit that provides web administration capabilities. But it offers sophisticated techniques to generate malicious code. And it’s very aggressive in its use of server-side polymorphism and heavily obfuscated scripts to evade antivirus detection. The end result is that Blackhole is particularly insidious.

    Users are advised to avoid clicking on links found in such messages, and to report them as spam immediately.

    Malware—short for ‘malicious software’—is the term often used to refer to any type of malicious code or program that is used for monitoring and collecting your personal information (spyware) or disrupting or damaging your computer (viruses and worms). Some programs (spyware) collect various types of personal information or interfere with control of your computer in other ways, such as installing additional software or redirecting web browser activity.

    The purpose of malware can be to obtain personal information for identity theft and login details – especially for banking sites.

    If fraudsters get their hands on your personal information, they can steal passwords to your bank or credit accounts and they can also create a patchwork quilt of information that can allow them to eventually have enough on you to request duplicate identity documents, and apply for credit in your name.

    Running up credit all over town, perhaps buying and selling goods in your name, or in some cases mortgaging properties – the victim can have a stack of credit defaults against their name by the end of their ordeal – and sometimes no proof it wasn’t them that didn’t initiate the credit in the first place.

    Recovery can be slow, and in some cases victims have had no way to prove they weren’t responsible for the debt – with fraudsters leaving no trail and the actual identity theft happening long before the fraud took place.

    So to prevent devastating identity theft, which leaves you in debt and can leave your credit file tarnished and without any way of obtaining new credit for years to come, make it your business to educate yourself on internet and or computer risks. And think before you click this Christmas….it could save your financial future.

    If you need help to recover your credit file after identity theft – you may be suitable for credit repair. Contact a Credit Repair Advisor at MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs for help 1300 667 218 or visit the main website for more information www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: digitalart/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • What you need to know about the internet to save your teenager’s future credit file

    Media Release

    What you need to know about the internet to save your teenager’s future credit file

    Young Australians are putting their good credit rating at risk every time they post personal information publicly on the internet, even before they are ever credit active, a leading credit repairer warns.

    “The harsh reality is if you’re a teenager in Australia today you are not immune to identity fraud. Even though you are not yet credit active the personal information you make public today could be used against you in the future,” CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says.

    He says many teenagers do not know the risks of having a public ‘profile’ on sites like Facebook and Twitter, but fraudsters do.

    “With the volume of personal information that is publicly available about our young people on social network sites, what’s to say fraudsters can’t pull that information and use it to build a profile that could allow them to create a fake identity?” he says.

    Late last year, the Australian Federal Police’s national co-ordinator of identity security strike team, Ben McQuillan spoke about the dangers of identity crime at a forum on money laundering and terrorism.

    He warned forum listeners about the new trend of ‘warehousing’ which involves storing data for a time, making it harder for a victim or bank to trace where and when the data was stolen.

    ”If people know your full name, your date of birth, where you went to school and other lifestyle issues, and they were to warehouse that data, there is a prospect that could then be used to take out loans or credit cards or to create a bank account that could then be used to launder money,” Mr McQuillan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

    Mr Doessel says identity theft is not only about the initial loss of monies, but if the fraud amounts to credit accounts in the young victim’s name going undetected and unpaid past 60 days, creditors will issue defaults.

    “It need not be major fraud to have a detrimental effect. Credit file defaults for as little as $100 can stop someone from being able to obtain credit for 5 years. So any misuse of someone’s credit file can be extremely significant,” he says.

    He says the onus is on the victim to prove to creditors they didn’t initiate the credit.

    “The fact that the perpetrator is long gone and the actual act of identity theft happened years earlier will only add to the difficulty for the young person in recovering their good name,” he says.

    Experts recommend parents and young people continue to update their skills on how to be cyber-smart. The government’s ‘stay smart online’ website offers some top tips about using the internet which can be discussed with young people at home and school.

    Top tips

    Make sure your computer is secure-follow the advice in the Secure your computer section of this [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”][stay smart online] website.

    Set strong passwords, particularly for important online accounts and change them regularly-consider making a diary entry to remind yourself.

    Stop and think before you share any personal or financial information-about you, your friends or family. Don’t disclose identity information (drivers licence, Medicare No, birth date, address) through email or online unless you have initiated the contact and you know the other person involved.

    Don’t give your email address out without needing to. Think about why you are providing it, what the benefit is for you and whether it will mean you are sent emails you don’t want.

    Be very suspicious of emails from people you don’t know, particularly if they promise you money, good health or a solution to all your problems. The same applies for websites. Remember, anything that looks too good to be true usually is.

    Limit the amount and type of identity information you post on social networking sites. Don’t put sensitive, private or confidential information on your public profile.

    When shopping online use a secure payment method such as PayPal, BPay, or your credit card. Avoid money transfers and direct debit, as these can be open to abuse. Never send your bank or credit card details via email.

    When using a public computer, don’t submit or access any sensitive information online. Public computers may have a keystroke logger installed which can capture your password, credit card number and bank details.

    /ENDS.

    Please contact:

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

    Graham Doessel: CEO Ph 3124 7133

    246 Stafford Road, STAFFORD QLD.

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

     

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    http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/News%20Article%20List/2012/01/Connecting%20generations%20and%20educating%20each%20other.aspx http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/police-warn-of-sophisticated-plan-to-steal-identities-20111108-1n5l8.html#ixzz1dB4ctHcT
    http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/teens

    Image: Just2shutter/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

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

    Media Release

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    6. Credit refusal due to a bad credit rating.

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

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

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

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

    /ENDS.

    Please contact:

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

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

    246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

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

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

     

    Image: worradmu/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     

  • Fraudsters pinch Australian Crime Commission logo to scam consumers

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

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

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

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

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

    Identifying characteristics of these emails may include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    For further information, visit these helpful links:

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

    To report a scam, telephone them on 1300 795 995

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

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

    Image: fotographic1980/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • VISA says ‘pens down’ to prevent credit card fraud

    Plastic fantastic transactions will no longer be signed off on as a proof of identity, but will require a PIN number to authorise. In the news today, VISA has announced it will phase out signature payments by April 1, 2013. We look at this decision, and address credit card fraud, and the ways in which your credit rating can be compromised because of it.

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

    It was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald today ‘Signing off: credit card giant ditches pens for PINS’, the movement to PIN and card-chip only transactions has been prompted by the need for increased security on credit cards.

    The move is expected to reduce signature-based credit card fraud which has been on the rise over the last two years – from 38 out of 100,000 transactions in 2010 to 52 out of 100,000 transactions in 2011.

    Visa spokeswoman Judy Shaw said the change was part of a comprehensive security plan to phase out the use of signatures in favour of PIN and card chips, which are already widely used by customers in stores and ATMs.

    “At the moment we’re working with financial institutions and other card schemes to discuss a uniform approach to chip and PIN use across the industry,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

    “It will include a communication program so that cardholders are aware of their PINs and know how to use them,” she said.

    But rival American Express will still allow customers to confirm purchases with signatures although cards are issued with chips.

    Garry Duursma, Vice President at eftpos services company Tyro, told SMH abandoning signatures will reduce the incidence of card-based fraud, but warned it could potentially open a new risk if the restaurant’s eftpos system isn’t properly integrated with the restaurant’s bank account system.

    This demonstrates that credit cards are not always the safest way to pay.

    In instances of credit card fraud, it is not always as simple as reimbursing the victim for unauthorised transactions.

    Whenever a criminal is able to access a person’s credit card details, or any of their personal information – there is a chance the victim can have not only unauthorised transactions issued in their name, but possibly new credit taken out as well.

    Credit card fraud can take on a myriad of forms – but it can be quite sophisticated, and in those instances criminals may gain access to additional forms of credit – new cards, loans even mortgages.

    If the victim is unaware of the fraud right away and their credit file ends up with defaults – they can be blacklisted from obtaining credit for 5 years. That one instance of credit card fraud can end up financially crippling the victim. They can’t borrow for anything – they can’t even take out a mobile phone plan.

    Here is one way someone may be a victim of identity theft through their credit card:

    In October last year, New York Police made major arrests of 111 people involved in five separate identity theft rings involving counterparts in China, Europe and the Middle East.

    The victims had credit cards skimmed at many New York shops, restaurants and even banks dating back to 2010.

    Then details on the credit cards where on-sold and duplicate cards were made that were then used to purchase and re-sell high-end goods such as electrical items.

    The Herald Sun reported at the time that authorities had calculated more than $US13 million ($13.4 million) was spent by the fraudsters on iPads, iPhones, computers, watches and fancy handbags from Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

    The ACCC’s SCAMWatch says a credit card scam can come in many forms. For example, scammers may use spyware or some other scam to obtain their victim’s credit card details. A scammer might steal or trick someone into telling them their security code (the three or four digit code on the card) and then make purchases over the internet or the telephone. If they know their PIN, they could also get cash advances from an ATM using a ‘cloned’ credit card (where the victim’s details have been copied onto the magnetic strip of another card).

    Of course, there is also a danger of someone using a credit card if it has been physically lost or stolen.

    Many types of fraud can also directly threaten the victim’s credit rating – such as account takeovers by fraudsters, and instances where criminals take out new credit in the victim’s name. It doesn’t even have to be for a large sum in some cases to be a massive blow to the victim’s ability to obtain credit. I have seen people get refused a home loan due to a default for as little as $100.

    Here are the ACCC’s signs to be aware of in relation to credit card fraud:

    Warning signs

    There are transactions listed in your credit card statement that you don’t understand.
    You have given your credit card details to someone you now suspect may not be trustworthy (perhaps over the internet).
    You have lost your card.
    You have kept your security information (eg your PIN or the access code on your card) written down somewhere near your card and you find that it is missing

    Some preventative steps against credit card fraud

    – Always check the ATM or EFTPOS terminal before using it. Look out for any suspicious boxes that could be skimming devices. If in doubt – don’t use it.
    – Always cover your PIN when making transactions.
    – Never let anyone walk out of sight with your credit card.
    – Consider paying cash on nights out and leave the cards where they are safe.
    – Always check your card statements and report any unauthorised transactions – however small – to the bank immediately. Sometimes ‘test’ withdrawals are made by criminals to see if the unauthorised transaction goes undetected, before more significant amounts are stolen.
    – Regularly keep up to date with what is on your credit file – which would reveal if defaults have been issued without your knowledge. People can check their credit file by obtaining a written report for free every 12 months, from each of Australia’s credit reporting agencies. But if they are suspicious of or vulnerable to fraud they can also for a fee obtain a credit report more often.
    – If there are any discrepancies of credit or adverse listings that should not be there they should act immediately to notify Police. This crime is not very widely reported. But it is only through people reporting it that any real statistics get collated. Likewise, if people want to try and repair their credit rating, the first thing I tell them is to make sure they have a Police report.

    For more information on restoring a credit rating following credit card fraud or any form of identity theft, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs on 1300 667 218 www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: adamr/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • They’re ba-ack again! Fraudsters change tactics on Microsoft virus scam

    If you own a computer – or a telephone for that matter – you may be vulnerable to computer-related scam attempts. The old Microsoft virus scam may have been shut down, but a new one has popped up in its place. We look at the current computer cold call scam warning, what you should do if you are called by these scammers, and what the ramifications of falling for this scam could be for your financial identity and credit file.

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

    Remember the scam going around where fraudsters were claiming to be from Microsoft and were cold calling in Australia to offer “technical support” to remotely assist in clearing viruses off home computers?

    First detected in 2010, the ‘Microsoft Phone Scam’ was clever, and caught out thousands. Callers knew the victim’s name and address. These fake security engineers were claiming to see problems with the victim’s computer and asking whether the victim had noticed their computer becoming slower recently.

    They went on to offer to take over the machine and fix the problems. The scammers were using legitimate remote access software, such as LogMeIn, TeamView and Ammyy.

    Scammers then requested money for this ‘service.’ On top of that, it put the victim’s personal and banking details at risk. It also gave the scammers remote access to their computer, which can potentially lead to infected computers and pilfering of personal information via keyloggers.

    Gizmodo’s recent article ‘Global Operation Sees Infamous ‘Microsoft’ Scammers Finally Taken Down [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”][Updated]’ explained the extent of the success of the scam prior to its takedown:

    Three years on from the first report into the ACMA about the Microsoft scammers, over 10,000 complaints have been recorded. The ACMA says that the worst point came two years ago, when every second complaint to the agency was about the Microsoft scammers. This was in 2011 — a year when scam activity had doubled on the previous period. 52 per cent of the 83,000 scam complaints the ACMA received in 2011 presented as phone scams. All in all, in that 12 months, Australians lost a total of $85.6 million to various scammers.

    Gizmodo reported international efforts from Australia, Canada and the United States brought down U.S. based scammers only a couple of weeks ago. The scammers became the first individuals to be caught in connection with the scam. They’ve had their assets frozen and they are presumably now awaiting a hearing over fraud charges.

    Not to be dismayed, scammers have obviously thought the gig was too lucrative to dismantle yet – and they have changed tactics – hitting those original victims with yet another scam. As if they hadn’t suffered enough!

    On Friday Stay Smart Online issued a warning that computer-related scams were doing the rounds again. It may be important for those who may have been targeted last time.

    “Following international efforts by agencies to close down the infamous ‘Microsoft imposter scam’, reported earlier this month, examples of scammers responding with new approaches have been noted.

    This includes scammers making follow up calls to previous targets of the original scam, offering apologies and refunds in response to the closing down of (fake) support they provided previously.

    Scammers may also claim to be from a foreign government, foreign law enforcement agency or bank, and offer to recover the money you initially lost, in return for a fee,” SSO notes in its warning.

    Your personal information in the wrong hands can lead to identity theft which threatens the health of your credit rating. Fraudsters can duplicate your identity and take out credit in your name – leaving you with debts you didn’t initiate and bad credit from outstanding accounts in your name.

    Think recovery would be easy? Think again!

    Clearing bad credit history is always difficult for individuals to undertake. Most enquiries will result in Creditors telling you that bad credit is there to stay for the term of the listing (usually 5 years). The only thing you can do to change that is to prove there is an inconsistency by demonstrating that the listing was put there unlawfully. An identity theft victim’s task is then to prove that they did not initiate the credit in the first place, but proof is not always easy to obtain – especially when you have no idea of exactly how the fraud occurred. Many people don’t know they are victims until they go to obtain credit and are refused because their credit file is riddled with defaults.

    So what should you do if you get a phone call from one of these guys? SSO gives this advice:

    Suspect: Don’t accept anything at face value. Don’t make a payment over the phone or online without first checking the details.

    Think: Recognise the signs. If you’re being pressured to act, disclose personal details or send money to a stranger, it’s almost certainly a scam. (Microsoft never makes unsolicited phone calls about its products.)

    Report: Act to report the scam. Tell SCAMwatch and help stop scammers in their tracks.

    Ignore: Never respond. Hang up or delete the SMS or email after reporting.

    If you have had your credit file destroyed by identity theft, and need help recovering your good name – contact a professional Credit Repair Advisor on 1300 667 218 or visit the MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs website www.mycra.com.au. Professional credit repair can offer you the best chance of being able to clear bad history from identity theft for good.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Has your tax file number been given out to debt collectors?

    If you have a tax bill you haven’t paid – be aware your tax file number may have been given out to debt collectors contracted by the Australian Tax Office. This is despite the recent warnings from the ATO that compromised tax file numbers are leading to identity theft. We look at the story behind this recent revelation and report on the prevalence of tax file number – related identity crime. Identity theft can lead to credit fraud which can leave you in debt and with bad credit history.

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

    The Herald Sun reported yesterday in their story ‘Debt collection agents given tax file numbers’ that the ATO gives out the tax file numbers of consumers whose debt they are referring to debt collection agencies. The numbers are used for identification purposes.

    “THE tax file numbers of Australians are being passed on to contracted third-party debt collection agencies by the Australian Tax Office, despite the ATO claiming compromised tax file numbers are leading to identity theft,” the lead in states.

    This surprising revelation comes after the Herald Sun revealed this month there had been a surge in compromised tax file numbers. See last week’s post ‘Over 23,000 accounts of tax file number identity theft last year.’

    The newspaper published data from the Australian Taxation Office showing over 23,300 Australians had their tax file number compromised in the 2012 financial year. This was up from 22,000 last year.

    Likewise, ATO’s August campaign involved urging consumers to keep their tax file numbers safe to avoid identity theft. They revealed that scams such as fake job ads and bogus ATO emails were leading to compromised tax file numbers and identity theft. Here is an excerpt from their media release ‘Scammers target job seekers’ with comment from Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo:

    “Personal information can be used by scammers to lodge false tax returns in your name, enable the use of your credit cards or even result in people taking out a loan in your name. In some cases, identity crime can take years to resolve.”

    This year there have been over 6,000 reports from the community about bogus e-mails using the ATO brand, and over 4,000 reports of attempted phone scams.

    At this time of year when many people expect refunds, scammers use the opportunity to pretend to be from the ATO.”
    Only certain people and organisations can ask for your TFN, the most common being:

    • the ATO, when discussing your tax records
    • your employer, but only after you start work
    • your bank or other financial institutions
    • Centrelink, and
    • your superannuation fund.

    It was not mentioned which people and organisations are commonly recipients of Australian tax file numbers.

    ATO response on tax file number referral

    The ATO told the Herald Sun that contractors use the numbers for identification purposes only and said there is no risk because strict security requirements are placed on them.

    Here is an excerpt from the Herald Sun story:

    Four companies are contracted to do debt collection for the ATO and only two responded to queries from the Herald Sun asking about security arrangements or how many staff would have access to public tax file numbers.

    The ATO stated: “The four debt collection agencies we use are subject to strict security and privacy provisions as part of their contract. Any breach could nullify the contract and result in prosecution.

    “No taxpayer information, including tax file numbers, is to be sent overseas.”

    The ATO added that every two years it checked the premises and IT systems of third-party debt collection companies, and the last checks were done between July and October this year with no major risks or breaches identified.

    But the country’s biggest accountancy body has expressed concerns about the use of tax file numbers when not necessary.

    “If the tax office is sharing TFNs with third parties, regardless of the contractual arrangement, then there is a concern and a great risk … that the information is distributed, that the information could be misused somewhere along the line,” CPA Australia head of tax Paul Drum said.

    “In that regard, it seems unusual that the Tax Office would need to provide a TFN when the information provided to the debt collectors includes a claims reference number anyway.”

    Whilst the security checks employed by the ATO seem acceptable, I too question the requirement for sharing of this crucial financial information to outside bodies if not absolutely necessary.

    In this day and age when instances of identity fraud are reportedly on the rise, and becoming more sophisticated by the day; when we are urged by Government, by law enforcement, by banks, even by the ATO to regard our personal information as a valuable commodity – it seems unusual that the policy for sharing this crucial financial information still remains in place.

    Identity crime and your credit file

    Compromised personal information in any form is a big threat to our credit file health.

    If fraudsters get hold of your identity information they can duplicate it, and attempt to take credit out in your name. If successful, they can borrow anything from credit cards, mobile phones, cars, even mortgage properties. They are never so kind as to pay that debt back – so your credit file, your good name is left compromised and you are left with debt you didn’t initiate.

    It can be difficult to correct any credit file discrepancy – but identity crime can be even more difficult to remove from your credit history – because you have to prove – somehow – that you didn’t initiate the credit in the first place. This can involve evidence that you may or may not have. You may not be able to get any documentation, and also the identity theft could have occurred long before you find out about it.

    If you find out any personal information is compromised, or you know you are the victim of identity theft, the best place to go first if the Police.

    Once you are in a position to try to recover your good credit history, a Police report will go a long way to proving your innocence.

    Police may also advise you of other avenues open to you as well as an identity theft victim, such as requesting a Victims of Commonwealth Identity Crime Certificate.

    If you need help recovering your credit file health for whatever reason, contact a Credit Repair Advisor on 1300 667 218 or for more information visit the MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs website www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: Arvind Balaraman/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Mandatory data breach notification finally on the table in Australia

    Should organisations be required by law to make data breach notifications when they occur? The Australian government has finally put this topic to the Australian public following the release of their discussion paper. This is long overdue so that customers who have their personal information unsecured in some way through a company data breach are notified and are able to take swift steps to secure their own records and personal information from identity crime. We look at why these laws are so important and how a data breach can impact a person’s credit file.

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

    Yesterday the Australian Government released a statement to the media seeking views on the introduction of mandatory data breach notification laws, which aims to bolster privacy protections for Australians’ personal information in digital databases.

    Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said that it was timely for a public discussion on how legislation might deal with data breaches, such as when private records are obtained by hackers.

    “Australians who transact online rightfully expect their personal information will be protected,” Ms Roxon said.

    “More personal information about Australians than ever before is held online, and several high profile data breaches have shown that this information can be susceptible to hackers.

    Those high profile data breaches include the Sony data breach in 2011, First State Super scandal in the same year; this year the Zappos data breach and the Telstra data breach to name but a few instances where the personal information of Australians was exposed to hackers. What these incidents did is highlight the gaping hole in Australia’s privacy legislation which needed to be filled to protect consumers.

    Whilst organisations are encouraged to disclose data breaches to the Commonwealth Privacy Commissioner, it has not been mandatory to do so. There has been much criticism over companies “holding out” on their customers following a data breach, and waiting days or up to a week or so to notify customers that their personal information may be at risk.

    During this time, it has been argued that hackers have had free access to this personal information without the customer doing anything to minimise their own risk, such as cancelling accounts, changing passwords and flagging their credit accounts and credit file.

    The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Mr Timothy Pilgrim has had little recourse within legislation to deal with lack of notification following a data breach.

    In his statement to the media, Mr Pilgrim said in 2011–12, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) received 46 data breach notifications, an 18% decrease from the number of DBNs received in 2010–11.

    ‘This decrease in notifications is difficult to explain but I have seen reports that suggest we are only being notified of a small percentage of data breaches that are occurring. It is very concerning that many of incidents may be going unreported and customers are unaware that their personal information may be compromised,’ Mr Pilgrim said.

    He has officially supported the release of the discussion paper.

    ‘…Privacy breach notification is an important issue that needs community debate, and I’m sure there will be a wide range of views expressed on whether this notification should be mandatory.’ Mr Pilgrim said.

    ‘Currently there is no legal requirement in Australia for organisations to notify individuals when a privacy breach occurs. However, I believe that where personal information has been compromised, notification can be essential in helping individuals to regain control of that information. For example, an individual can take steps to regain control of their identity and personal information by changing passwords or account numbers if they know that a data breach has occurred,’ Mr Pilgrim said.

    We agree this is an area which is overdue for going under the legislative spotlight. We can’t take lightly the possibility that any company that keeps data on its customers could be exposed to data breaches. Identity theft is becoming more prevalent, and personal information is lucrative for fraudsters.

    Unfortunately it seems everywhere people turn some company has been hacked – and it seems every entity with a computer is vulnerable. It is still extremely scary the level of risk peoples’ personal information undergoes these days when it is stored online.

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

    A lot of identity fraud is committed by piecing together enough personal information from different sources in order for criminals to take out credit in the victim’s name. Often victims don’t know about it right away – and that’s where their credit file can be compromised.

    Once the victim’s credit rating is damaged due to defaults from this ‘stolen’ credit, they are facing some difficult times repairing their credit rating in order to get their life back on track.

    These victims often can’t even get a mobile phone in their name. It need not be large-scale fraud to be a massive blow to their financial future – defaults for as little as $100 will stop someone from getting a home loan.

    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 removing credit listings which shouldn’t be there can be – even if the individual has been the victim of identity theft. There is no guarantee that the identity theft victim will have the defaults removed from their credit file. The onus is on them to prove their case and provide copious amounts of documentary evidence.

    This is where often victims who need to recover their credit rating can benefit from third party assistance, such as a credit repair company, to assist with proving the victim did not intitate the credit, help with a case for removal and negotiate on the victim’s behalf.

    But the best method is prevention – and this can be difficult for victims to have any control over. They leave their personal information with a company, and must trust that their systems are working and that their information is safe.

    The only ways people can ensure their details are safe or dealt with safely are to:

    a) Demand that the companies they deal with are protective over their customers’ personal information. They should demand companies have strong IT systems.

    b) Adopt a need-to-know basis for disclosing their personal information. They should always question the need for their details to be handed over. If it is not essential, they shouldn’t do it; and

    b) Demand our country adopt mandatory data breach notification laws so we can, as Mr Pilgrim describes, have our organisations “embed a culture that values and respects privacy.”

    Image: phanlop88/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Skype users in Australia warned of identity theft threat

    The Stay Smart Online (SSO) Advisory service has issued a warning to Skype users this week about messages circulating the internet voice and video service which contain malware. Known as  ‘Dorkbots’, the malicious software can overtake your computer if you click the link in the message, infecting your computer and opening you up to identity theft. We show you what to look out for, and how you can be at risk of identity theft and other nasties which can impact your life and your credit rating.

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

    SSO Advisory is warning users to be careful about clicking on a link coming from a Skype instant message.

    Skype issued a warning on October 9 via the security section of their website about the ‘Dorkbot’ malware that is currently spreading via Skype.

    Users may receive a message asking ‘lol is this your new profile pic?, along with a link. You are warned not to click this link. This message may come from friends in your Skype contacts lists.

    If the link is clicked, the malware infects your computer. It may also cause your computer to become part of what is known as a ‘botnet’. A botnet is a group of compromised (infected by malware) computers that are used by criminals to carry out attacks on other computer systems.

    Dorkbot variants may also attempt to steal user name and password details for other services you use. Botnets are controlled remotely and can be instructed to perform further malicious acts via the internet.

    Whilst back on October 9 Skype had said a “small number” of Skype users have been targeted, this number may have escalated to greater levels, for SSO to launch an advisory. Security company Trend-Micro’s blog post ‘Skype worm spreading fast’ revealed on October 8 the company had blocked 2500 infected files in the 24 hours since discovery.

    If you are tech savvy, Trend-Micro explains further:

    “These Dorkbot variants will also steal user name and password credentials for a vast array of websites including Facebook, Twitter, Google, PayPal, NetFlix and many others. They can interfere in DNS resolution, insert iFrames into web pages, perform three different kinds of DDoS attack, act as a Proxy server and download and install further malware at the botmaster’s initiation. These are only some of the functionality of this pernicious worm.

    Some infections will subsequently install a ransomware variant locking the user out of their machine, informing them that their files have been encrypted and that they will be subsequently deleted unless the unfortunate victim surrenders a $200 fine within 48 hours.”

    Skype says, as a general word of caution, here are the steps to follow to avoid being scammed:

    1. Keep your Skype up-to date to ensure latest security features.

    2. Keep your PC or device security up to date with the latest anti-virus software

    3. It’s never adviseable to click on suspicious or unusual files and links, even if it’s coming from people you know.

    4. Check heartbeat or community for the latest news if unsure.

    As always, we regularly encourage our users to only download the latest version of Skype from skype.com. This is done to not only to ensure our users are able to take advantage of new features and functionality, but also to make sure you are getting a genuine version of Skype, as we remain committed to providing the best quality and security to our users.

    Back in July we featured a post explaining Malware which you might want to read if you want to know the ins and outs of Malware, titled ‘How Malware can infect your life and put you and your credit file at risk of fraud.’

    Here is an excerpt from that post:

    What can fraudsters do if they can get their hands on your personal information?

    They can steal passwords to your bank or credit accounts and they can also create a patchwork quilt of information that can allow them to eventually have enough on you to request duplicate identity documents, and apply for credit in your name.

    Running up credit all over town, perhaps buying and selling goods in your name, or in some cases mortgaging properties – the victim can have a stack of credit defaults against their name by the end of their ordeal – and sometimes no proof it wasn’t them that didn’t initiate the credit in the first place.

    Recovery can be slow, and in some cases victims have had no way to prove they weren’t responsible for the debt – with fraudsters leaving no trail and the actual identity crime happening long before the fraud took place.

    So to prevent devastating identity crime, which leaves you in debt and can leave you without any way of obtaining new credit for years to come, make it your business to educate yourself on internet and or computer risks. And think before you click….it could save your financial future.

    For help in recovering your good name following identity theft that has infected your credit file and your life, contact a Credit Repair Advisor on 1300 667 218 or visit the MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs website www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: Salvatore Vuono/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Protection essential to combat identity theft in Australia

    Why is protecting yourself against identity theft so important? Because in this day and age, identity theft is no longer an avenue simply for criminals to “skip town” under your name, but has also become a lucrative business for those criminals who are interested in fraud. A seemingly perfect, often anonymous crime with very long arms, identity theft can not only see you losing your money, but also see you lumbered with bad credit history. And often you don’t even know it has occurred until you try to take out credit in your own right and are refused.

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

    The President of the Law Society in South Australia, Ralph Bonig has written an article for Adelaide Now titled ‘In today’s hi-tech world, identity protection is the best option.’  In it, he reflects on recent events involving identity theft, including the new penalties for identity theft, and recent surveys on the scope of the problem here in Australia. He warns that with more electronic transactions comes more opportunities for illegal use of personal data.

    “With the increase in international terrorism, law enforcement agencies have focused their efforts on identifying and combating identity fraud as an adjunct to anti-terrorism measures.

    However, the exchange of personal information through technology has meant that identity theft is no longer just the province of organised criminals and/or terrorists but also now occurs on a smaller, random scale.

    In June this year, the federal Attorney-General’s Department released a report based on a randomised survey on identity theft.

    Of the survey respondents who had been the subject of identity theft, 57 per cent reported that it had occurred via the internet, 35 per cent as a result of a stolen credit card and 18 per cent by mail theft,” he writes.

    He goes on to help readers with a number of ways they may be able to protect themselves, including avoiding public computers; ensuring they have strong passwords which are routinely changed; only providing the minimum amount of personal information that is required during transactions; keeping their mailbox locked; and destroying personal documents.

    What is most interesting is his take on why we should be stepping up protection against identity theft:

    “South Australia, the Criminal Law Consolidation Act contains a number of sections which deal specifically with identity theft.

    It is illegal to assume a false identity for the purposes of committing a criminal offence.

    It is also illegal to use someone else’s personal information in order to commit a criminal offence.

    Creating false identification material and/or trading in it is also illegal.

    There are separate offences relating to the improper use of computers and information obtained via a computer and corresponding federal laws in the Crimes Act.

    What the law does not address and what is extremely difficult to redress is the effect on your credit card rating and the unmeasurable cost of replacing stolen material or re-establishing your bona fides.

    Once again, the best course of action is protection.”

    This difficulty in resurrecting the life you had before, your good name is what we want to warn people about.

    Firstly, you may not know you have been caught out until you attempt to take out credit and are refused. Secondly, when you do find out, you may find recovery extremely hard.

    As with any other unfair or disputable credit listing, the onus is on the credit file holder to prove that the listing has been placed unlawfully, and therefore should be removed. If you are an identity theft victim, you are now faced with proving that it was not you that initiated the credit in the first place, in order to prove to the Credit Providers that the listing is incorrect. This takes lots of negotiating and documentary evidence.

    The difficulty with this can be when

    a) you do not know exactly how the identity theft occurred and/or
    b) it occurred long before you were made aware of it and you have lost crucial documents or
    c) because of either one of these issues you don’t have a Police report

    If you have just found out you are a victim (however small), we recommend you also contact the Police immediately. Some fraudsters do test amounts prior to a large scale transaction.

    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. And besides, most Credit Providers will require at minimum a Police report.

    Many identity theft victims seek the help of a third party, such as a credit rating repairer to help with putting a case to the Credit Provider for removing the credit listing/s. 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 knowledge of legislation and ability to negotiate a successful case on your behalf.

    For more information, contact a Credit Repair Advisor at MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: David Castillo Dominici/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Over 23,000 accounts of tax file number identity theft last year

    Numbers just out from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) may help to demonstrate the prevalence of identity theft attempts in Australia, and show the valuable commodity that personal information has become. Personal information in the wrong hands can be used to steal your tax refund, rob your bank accounts, leave you in debt, and threaten the next 5 years of your life through bad credit history.

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

    The ATO has confirmed 23,300 Australians had their tax file number compromised in the 2012 financial year.

    This is up from 22,000 the previous year.

    CPA Australia head of taxation Paul Drum has said the delay in many tax refunds has been due to manual checking of the validity of the refund – and he revealed it is “quite often showing up as identity fraud.”

    The ATO told the Herald Sun it was working hard to combat identity theft, including information matching tools, data mining techniques and fraud models to detect potential fraud and limit the potential benefits of identity takeover.

    This type of personal information is being sought out by criminals often via online methods as a less risky route to stealing money than more traditional face-to-face methods. Theft of personal information can lead to tax fraud, and it can also lead to credit fraud, as reported in the Herald Sun:

    “A stolen tax file number can be used to lodge fraudulent tax returns or take out credit cards and loans, with the resulting credit rating damage sometimes taking years to fix,” it was reported.

    CPA’S Mr Drum offers an explanation as to the cause of the rise in numbers:

    “The fact that it’s so prevalent, it would seem to be more internet-based than something that’s physically done by going door to door, getting people’s private records from their mailboxes or from business offices or that type of thing,” Mr Drum said.

    “We think a lot of it is by computer hacking over the internet – that people are tricked into providing them when they didn’t have to provide them.”

    Recently we published a post warning readers about the threat of tax fraud ‘Is Your Tax Refund Safe? Identity Theft Warning for Taxpayers’. We addressed this issue, and featured some expert opinion as to who was getting this information and how. The ATO warned that a prevalent scam designed to catch personal information was via fake job ads.

    The fake employer requires the applicant to lodge their tax file number either during the initial application or once an offer of employment is made –that is later withdrawn. The scam is cleverly designed to pilfer the personal information of applicants, including the applicant’s tax file number for purposes of fraud.

    They also say sometimes rogue tax agents are involved in tax fraud.

    But Brett Warfield, a forensic accountant and fraud specialist at Warfield & Associates, said the biggest threat comes from organised crime groups lifting wholesale identity and salary information on employees from private firms or government bodies, either by hacking into company databases or convincing insiders to leak it.

    He told Ninemsn they then use this pilfered data to lodge hundreds of forged submissions with the ATO.

    “They tend to submit the tax returns fairly quickly after the end of June to beat the real taxpayer,” said Mr Warfield.

    He added that crime gangs still have to outsmart the ATO’s sophisticated fraud risk filters, which cross-check claims against data such as previous entries on income and expenses, mailing addresses and bank account details for wiring refunds.

    Ninemsn attempted to use freedom-of-information laws to find out how many such fraudulent returns the ATO fails to intercept, but it admitted it does not measure or even estimate its losses.

    In the meantime, it is our understanding that this type of crime is on the rise. In this digital age access to our own information (and to others in the process) becomes easier, and interaction with companies which hold our information and/or use it, become less personal. In this digital age it is how we appear on paper (or rather ‘online’) through our credit ‘score’ or ‘rating’ that means doors either open or close for us in financial circles. Business is not done on a hand shake any more. Seldom does anyone give their ‘word’ and that is enough. So we are vehement with educating people about how their personal information can be compromised, and impact their credit rating. This is a big threat to our credit health – and important to understand and prevent.

    If yourself, or someone you know has been a victim of tax fraud, or any other type of scam or fraud, it is important that you manage the risk to your credit file:

    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. This may help to prevent any attempts to misuse your good credit rating.

    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.

    For help in recovering your credit rating following identity theft, contact a Credit Repair Advisor on 1300 667 218 or visit the MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs main site www.mycra.com.au.

    Image: Grant Cochrane/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • New laws to penalise identity thieves

    The Attorney-General Nicola Roxon announced yesterday new laws in Australia will mean white collar criminals and serious and organised crime groups will face tougher penalties. We look at what those penalties will mean, and how they can prevent identity theft and subsequent credit fraud leading to bad credit history.

    This week is National Identity Fraud Awareness Week October 8-14.

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

    Legislation introduced into Parliament yesterday – The Crime Bill, will aim to deter white collar criminals and organised crime groups. The Bill will increase financial penalties for all Commonwealth crimes, and create a new offence of using a false identity when travelling on aeroplanes. It will make it a crime to use a false identity to book a flight over the internet or to take a commercial flight. It will also be a crime to use a false identity when identifying oneself for a flight.

    Another significant change as part of The Crime Bill will be an increase to penalty units. “Penalty units” in the Commonwealth Crimes Act will increase from $110 to $170. These have not increased since 1997.

    “Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in Australia. This Bill will make it a criminal offence to use a false identity when travelling within Australia by air or booking domestic flights online or using a mobile phone,” the Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said in a statement to the media.

    “Organised criminals invent or steal identities in order to evade detection and commit serious crimes such as money laundering, drug offences, fraud and terrorism.

    The bill expands laws against identity theft by making it a crime to use a carriage service like the internet or a mobile phone to obtain identity information with the intention of committing another offence.

    So for instance, if fraudsters use the internet to obtain your personal information and it was shown the intention was to commit fraud, then the new laws should in theory kick in -placing a crime in not only the attempted fraud, but the actual misuse of your identity information.  Personal information is such a valuable commodity in criminal circles. Criminals can use your personal information to impersonate you, commit crimes, and also to take out credit in your name, leaving you with a pile of debt and bad credit history as the calling card. So this is a significant improvement.

    Ms Roxon said an example of the effect of the increase in penalty units was the maximum fine for obtaining a financial advantage by deception would jump from $66,000 to $102,000 for an individual.

    “This is a significant increase and should send a strong message that crime does not pay,” she told The Australian yesterday (Flying under false name to be a crime).

    Some more examples of how changes could deter criminals:

    •  A person who dishonestly uses the financial information of another person without their consent will face up to $51,000 in fines, up from $33,000. Companies who commit this crime could be liable for more than a quarter of a million dollars in fines, up from $165,000;

    •  A person who knowingly makes a false or misleading statement in documents they lodge with ASIC will face up to $34,000 in fines, up from $22,000. A company will be liable for up to $170,000 in fines, up from $110,000.

    This may go some way to deterring identity thieves within Australia. But there is still a significant amount of fraud related crime which originates from outside Australia. Widespread internet use means identity crime can have very long arms. And this is the real problem with this type of crime. It can be difficult to find let alone prosecute and penalise criminals for identity crime and other financial crimes when it doesn’t originate on our shores. But it was probably a necessary to step for the government to take to fight this global problem of identity crime nationally.

    To find out more about identity crime, and how it could impact your credit rating, you can read our last post Is your good name at risk? What you may not know about identity theft and your credit file. If you are looking to remove bad credit history after identity theft, contact a Credit Repair Advisor on 1300 667 218 or visit our main site www.mycra.com.au.

     

  • 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