Warning against online identity crime

West Australians are being urged to be careful about disclosing personal information, especially when they are online, to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of identity crime.

  • One in five Australians have personal information misused

  • Online banking, social media and card transactions most common sources

West Australians are being urged to be careful about disclosing personal information, especially when they are online, to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of identity crime.

Attorney General Michael Mischin issued the warning following the release of a report by the Australian Institute of Criminology, which surveyed 5,000 people across Australia to gauge the extent of identity crime and the misuse of personal information.

Mr Mischin said the most common type of misuse of personal information was related to online transactions and resulting credit card fraud. This included information stolen from people who were doing online banking, using social media or making card-based transactions.

"The report found that 20 per cent of people surveyed had experienced the misuse of personal information and 10 per cent had had this happen to them over the previous 12 months," he said.

"It also showed that indigenous people and those earning more than $37,000 a year were most at risk of identity theft."

The amount of money lost as a result of identity crime and misuse ranged from as little as $1 to $310,000, with most people surveyed losing up to $1,000. The consequences of being targeted also included emotional stress and being refused credit.

The Attorney General said it was hard to gauge how common identity theft and misuse of information really was because such crime was significantly under-reported.

"About 9 per cent of victims did not report what had happened to them, and more than half of those surveyed had only told a friend or family member," he said.

"In light of the report's findings, I would urge the community to exercise the utmost care when deciding what information to share online."

For more information on identity crime and how to prevent it, visit http://www.afp.gov.au/policing/fraud/identity-crime  

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Attorney General's office - 6552 5600