Depending on the type of information that may have been exposed, IDCARE recommends you consider the following proactive measures.

• Inform your financial institution that your personal information may be at risk of identity misuse and ask them what additional measures they recommend.
  • An incident involving a credit card does not automatically mean that the credit card will be cancelled and a new one reissued. Talk to your institution about your options.
• Change any online banking passwords and if you haven’t already, explore whether your online banking has multi-factor authentication security (such as using a token PIN or SMS code – in addition to your username or account ID and password).
• Check out your Credit Reports for any unexplained credit checks.
  • Every Australian can get free access to their credit reports. You may have three different credit reports from each of Australia’s three separate credit reporting bureaus.
  • To apply for your credit report follow the steps in IDCARE’s Fact Sheet – Credit Reports Australia, opens in a new tab.
  • If you have a foreign passport or driver licence talk to IDCARE about your options (submit a support request form, opens in a new tab and use the referral code ASP 19 H).
  • If you find entries on your credit report that cannot be explained or are incorrect, such as a different address, please contact IDCARE immediately.
• If you think you may experience misuse involving credit, you can also apply for a Credit Ban with each of Australia’s credit reporting bureaus.
  • Like credit reports, credit bans are free under Australian privacy laws.
  • They sound bad, but a credit ban will prevent credit providers from accessing your credit report as part of a credit check. This helps to safeguard against anyone using your information to fraudulently take out credit in your name.
  • Credit bans won’t upset any existing credit lines you may have, such as credit cards and loans.
  • They are only in place for 21 days in Australia, but you can ask for an extension if you think you face an enduring risk and provide a police report number. The police report number for this incident provided by the AFP is PN 6416080.
  • To apply for credit bans follow the steps in IDCARE’s Fact Sheet – Credit Bans Australia, opens in a new tab.
• Remain vigilant to unauthorised requests to port your mobile telephone number to another provider.  
  • If this occurs or your phone loses a permanent signal, contact your telecommunications service provider to confirm whether a request for porting has occurred, and if so, request a reversal.
  • You should also contact your financial institution to temporarily suspend online banking and change your email password and set up multi-factor authentication with another mobile number or email address. More information about this type of scam can be found at IDCARE’s Fact Sheet on Porting, opens in a new tab.