1 of 2AU: 1300 432 273 or NZ: 0800 201 415

Australia & New Zealand’s National Identity & Cyber Support Service

www.idcare.org contact@idcare.org

Understanding what has happened:Criminal exploitation of accounts and/or personal information can often present in ways that can look like a transaction or change of account details. It’s important to validate whether what’s experienced is actually a suspected crime or merely a mistake by the service provider. Here are some tips on engaging with service providers when trying to understand what is happening:

Put in writing your concerns or at the very least document what you have asked.

Ask what and how they will respond to your questions.

Ask for a unique reference number to ensure you have an identifier for your request for information.

If your request relates to a transaction, ask for specifics about the transaction, such as when did it occur, via what channel, what information was provided and related “evidence” about the transaction.

Ask for any documentation from the provider regarding the event, such as a billing account number, a service number, a ‘welcome letter’ or invoice.

Contact information about an escalation point within the service provider just in case you are not satisfied with their response.

Note that not all service providers will give you an option to call. Technology companies are known for difficult customer engagement channels.

Service providersService providers are organisation that transact with your identity information. These organisations can be government or business, such as telecommunication providers, financial institutions, retail outlets, postal services, and document issuing organisations. Service providers can assist in understanding whether an error is actually identity misuse, how to protect your existing accounts, and if there has been misuse, what precise information about you was misused (for example the credentials used by the criminal). Put simply, they can be critical in understanding what has happened and how to protect and respond. Brace yourself; experiences can be highly variable.

Engaging Service Providers

Fact SheetAustralia & New Zealand’s National Identity & Cyber Support Service

Other fact sheets

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Engaging OrganisationsSocial Media

Devices and TechnologyYour Right

Disclaimer © 2018 Copyright Identity Care Australia & New Zealand Ltd. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this FACT SHEET, IDCARE disclaims any liability to any person in respect to any actions performed or not performed as a result of the contents of the alert or any accompanying data provided. Note our service is free to the community and our Counsellors will never ask you to provide your personal information and credentials if we make contact with you.

2 of 2AU: 1300 432 273 or NZ: 0800 201 415

Australia & New Zealand’s National Identity & Cyber Support Service

www.idcare.org contact@idcare.org

Protecting yourself:When requesting that a service provider assists in protecting you:

Ask what your service provider can do to increase the security of your account and information. Some service providers may be able to increase account monitoring or disable the ability for your account to engage overseas – such as transfer money overseas (if you don’t have a need).

Ask your service provider to place a not on your file / customer account record if you suspect that someone has acted criminally.

If you have to put things in writing or prove who you are, ask the service provider to acknowledge that you have done this in writing.

Ask whether there are any costs associated with increasing your security and related terms and conditions

Responding when things take a turn:

In most cases you are entitled to know what information was used to identify you during the suspected fraudulent transaction. This information is vital.

Request written confirmation that your identity was misused with the service provider – this may assist in being reissued a new driver licence number in Queensland and NSW if this was misused.

Report to Police and contact IDCARE.

Check your credit reports – you may need to request for them to be corrected.

If your service provider is a government agency, financial institution, superannuation fund or telco, you can escalate complaints to the relevant ombudsman.

Engaging Service Providers

Fact SheetAustralia & New Zealand’s National Identity & Cyber Support Service