What to do if you are a victim of Identity Theft

In today’s world where we are very much dependent upon the online means for our various requirements which have exposed each one of us to many cybersecurity threats. In case you feel that your identity has been stolen and fear that some wrong work could be done in your name, it is time to get alarmed. The identity can be stolen in many ways like stealing your social media information, debit or credit card details, details regarding your bank and etc…

If you feel that your identity has been stolen, you must act quickly and take the required steps. Here are a few steps that you can take as a victim of identity theft. 

• Contact the IDCARE identity and cybercrime support center.

IDCARE (“Identity Care Australia & New Zealand Ltd”) is a joint and public-private partnership organization which supports the interest of victims of identity theft and the misuse henceforth. They provide personalized support to individuals that are victims of identity theft and also will provide any specific information so required to respond to the situation.

IDCARE is a Partner of the Registry and provides support for a range of identity theft issues, including those related to the Registry.

You can phone IDCARE between 8 am and 5 pm AEST, Monday to Friday on their

Toll-free hotline: 1300 432 273, or

Visit the iDcare website

• Report the incident to the police in writing. Ask the police to give you a copy of the report so that you can submit it in the places like banks and other financial institutions. This step will prevent you from being blamed about any misuse of your identity. You can also report identity theft incidents online via the Australian Cyber Crime Online Reporting Network.

• You must report the theft to identity to the organization that provided you the credentials. Best way to do this is by way of writing so that you have a proof of it as well.

 

• Get a copy of your credit report. Contact a credit reporting agency to check for unauthorized transactions. It is advisable to check your credit report at least once per year for unauthorized inquiries made into your credit history. You can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commission on 1300 363 992, or view their Privacy fact sheet “37: Fraud and your credit report”.

 

• Inform the credit reporting agencies that you are a victim of identity crime and consider asking for an alert to be placed on your file so you are notified of requests for credit.

 

Apart from these steps which are basically reactive ones you must be proactive in approach. Make sure you have antivirus systems in all your devices that are up to date and can prevent you from any external threat. Keep a check on your account balances and report and discrepancy as soon as it is observed.

 

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