How to safeguard yourself from identity crime

Identity crime describes incidents where someone accesses or uses your personal information or ID without your permission.  

This can happen whether the target is alive or deceased, and it is a crime that can be committed online, offline, or using both methods. 

One in four Australians will experience identity theft, and so privacy protection is about maintaining control over your personal information, choosing who sees it, and how it’s used. 

Understanding how identity crime occurs and knowing how to protect yourself are crucial steps in safeguarding your financial security, as the impacts can be devastating. 

Scammers are always looking for new ways to take advantage of people who aren’t paying attention and get their personal information, especially their bank information. 

Their plan is to use trusted channels you normally use to send you dodgy deals, sketchy links, and impersonated content. 

These criminals are also excellent researchers. They use data breaches, phishing scams, public Wi-Fi snooping, social media surveillance, and deceptive websites and apps to build a profile on you. 

By piecing together bits of your personal data from various sources, they can appear more genuine when they finally contact you, making their scam more convincing and harder to detect. 

Scammers aim to collect “personally identifiable information” that confirms your identity. This includes: 

• Name and family details 

• Birthdate 

• Contact information 

• Financial records 

• Online profiles 

• Identity documents (driver license, passports, certificates etc.) 

Taking proactive steps to protect your privacy is essential in the fight against identity crime. Here are some practical tips to help you stay safe: 

• Safeguard your passwords! Make sure your passwords or passphrases are not easy to guess or “crack”. Consider a passphrase: use words to tell a memorable story. For example: MyP3tGo@tL0v3sC@tS. It tells a silly story that’s easy to remember, while increasing the unpredictably of your password and making it difficult to guess. 

• Beware of unsolicited requests:  Remember that banks, government agencies, and major organisations will not ask for your personal information through phone calls, texts, or emails. If you receive a message that requests your “urgent attention” or contains links or logos that look slightly off, be suspicious. Ignore any requests for personal details via phone, email, or text. Additionally, avoid opening suspicious messages, as these can open the door to your device.  

• Read privacy agreements: Before signing up for any products or services, make sure you understand the terms and conditions, particularly how your details will be used. Be wary of any service that shares your information with third parties without your explicit consent. 

• Think before you share: It’s important to regularly update your privacy settings on social media and other online platforms. Only connect and share with people you know and trust. Scammers are skilled at using the information you post online against you, so be cautious about the details you make public. 

If you believe your personal information has been stolen, used, or accessed without your knowledge or consent you are not alone and there is help available to simplify the process and guide you through protecting your identity, accounts, and devices.  

If you are from New South Wales, contact ID Support to replace your government-issued proof of identity if your credentials are stolen or fraudulently used and to seek advice on what to do next. In other states, contact ID Care.