Has Your Personal Information Been Used?

Has your personal information ever been compromised? It’s a scary thought, but it’s something that we all have to consider. Identity theft is the act of using another person’s personal data without their consent.

This type of crime can occur online, through email scams, phone calls, spyware on your computer, or simply stolen mail. Fraudsters commit this crime in order to steal money directly from someone or set up fake accounts under another person’s name.

What your personal information can be used for

There are many ways a thief can use your stolen identity, such as:

• Applying for credit cards
• Gaining access to personal information
• Opening bank or utility accounts
• Creating fake identification documents, like driver’s licenses or passports

There are several ways to find out whether you’ve been a victim of identity theft, including monitoring your personal data and online accounts, communicating with your credit provider, and working with credit reporting bodies, such as Equifax, Illion and Experian.

Ways to tell if your identity information has been used

If you have been a victim of identity theft, the following situations might occur:

• A bank or ATO sends you an unexpected letter.
• Your credit card limit has been rejected.
• When your bank detects a questionable credit card transaction and it alerts you.
• Collections agencies begin phoning you for debts that aren’t yours.
• Stop receiving correspondence from banks and paper statements for financial accounts.

What to do if you think your personal information has been stolen

If your personal information has been stolen in Australia, here are the key steps you should take:

1. Report the theft – Contact your bank immediately to block your accounts and cancel any credit or debit cards linked to them. You can also alert relevant websites or online services where your accounts may have been compromised.
2. Protect your identity – Change passwords for all your online accounts, especially email, banking, and social media. Request a copy of your credit report from credit reporting bodies like Equifax, Experian, or illion to check for any suspicious activity and consider placing a ban on your credit report to block any unathorised access.
3. Recover compromised documents – Replace any stolen identity documents as necessary.