If you think you've been a victim of fraud, you can do the following:
1. Check your credit report with ClearScore to see if someone has applied for or taken out credit in your name.
3. Contact your bank and let them know what’s happened so they can monitor your account closely.
4. For confirmed fraud, consider placing a ban on your credit report. You can do this by contacting different credit bureaus:
5. Change your passwords and PINs. Make sure they are different for each account and difficult for someone else to guess. See creating a strong password article for more. You can also consider using a password manager, such as LastPass, to help with this.
6. Update and run anti-virus software on all internet-enabled devices
7. Review your social media settings and minimise how much personal information you're sharing.
8. Add an extra layer of security by setting up two-factor authentication (2FA).
Other useful contacts:
IDCARE
www.idcare.org provide a response service to victims of identity theft, scams, and cyber crimes.
Scamwatch
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs runs Scamwatch. This website gives helpful information about the types of scams happening.
The Privacy Commissioner
Provides useful information about the Privacy Act. You can complain to the Privacy Commissioner if you feel your privacy has been breached.
Anti-Spam
The Department of Internal Affairs Anti-Spam Unit has the responsibility for enforcing the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007. The website provides information on how to avoid spam and allows you to complain about spam.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Bureaux are available throughout New Zealand. They provide free, impartial and independent advice from volunteers.
More information for victims of identity theft on the Department of Internal Affairs website.