Identity theft
Identity theft is when someone fraudulently uses someone else's identity. An offender may use your identity to gain access to your bank account or other financial services, or to get credit such as a home loan, personal loan or credit card in your name.
Banks have strong controls in place to stop this from happening, but we must work in partnership with you. It's your identity and you need to do everything you can to protect it.
How criminals get your information
- Stealing mail from your letterbox
- Property theft like home and vehicle burglaries – they'll take wallets, laptops, statements and any other types of personal information they find
- Social networking sites – there's a wealth of information on these sites, like your date of birth, where you live, who your partner is, your phone number, your email address. These can be a goldmine for people looking to steal your identity
- Personal information disposed of in the rubbish
You may also be interested in:
