Many At Risk Of Identity Fraud

Illawarra Mercury

Monday August 27, 2007

By SARAH ALLELY

FACEBOOK, MySpace or even just internet banking - most of us are doing it.

Simply opening a dodgy email can be enough to expose you to identity fraud.

This is the new crime of choice for organised crime groups, said Superintendent Colin Dyson, head of the NSW Fraud Squad.

Identity fraud is information we use on a day-to-day basis to prove who we are, being used by someone to masquerade as us.

Today marks the beginning of Australia's first National Identity Fraud Awareness Week.

Police are concerned a rising number of people are putting themselves at risk from one of the country's fastest-growing crimes.

"There's evidence organised crime groups are moving from other crime to identity fraud crime to finance their activities," Mr Dyson said.

But it's no longer bills pinched out of your letterbox providing criminals with valuable information.

Mr Dyson said while people should take care of their mail, the internet posed the major threat.

"What we are seeing now is phishing, or false emails and the use of sophisticated trojans or viruses which surreptitiously enter your computer," he said.

The viruses hide on your computer and collect information as you enter passwords and pin numbers.

"But the crooks don't have to use sophisticated viruses to get personal information," Mr Dyson warned.

"It's called social engineering.

"Facebook is too new, but we recently charged a guy from Sydney's eastern suburbs.

"He used to (allegedly) engage people in conversations in chat rooms and get information from them, such as their pet's name or their mother's maiden name."

Many Facebook and MySpace users include their birthdays in their profiles, and some have their addresses and phone numbers.

But all this information can be compiled by someone wanting to steal your identity, just temporarily, to take out a loan, get a passport, driver's licence or access bank accounts.

Mr Dyson advised changing passwords regularly, not using the same ones for everything, being careful of disclosing personal details online, keeping computers up-to-date with virus protection, and avoiding opening unsolicited emails.

"It's all because of how business is done these days. All that information that we used to be really casual and blase about is now becoming more valuable," he said.

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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