If you fall victim to business identity theft, then you must act now. Identity thieves are notorious for stealing your personal details involving credit card information, driver's license, emails, and supplier information.
Identity crime continues to be the main driver of severe organized crime, as 1 in 4 Australians have been a victim of identity crime at some point in their lives according to the Department of Home Affairs. It’s evident that identity theft can be a stressful, time-consuming, and costly experience.
Cybercriminals have enough information to target their next victims by accessing personal information publicly available on the web and on social media. If you suspect your information has been stolen, below we explore the 8 essential steps you should take to reduce exposure to further exploitation.
What To Do If You Are A Victim of Identity Theft
If you think your identity has been stolen, manipulated, or your data has been infiltrated, then you must act now. It’s critical that you act quickly to minimize financial loss. Here are 8 steps to get you started promptly.
1. Report To The New Zealand Police
The first step in suspecting identity theft is to report the cybercrime to the police immediately. If a scammer has infiltrated your network systems or has successfully gained access to your sensitive information, then contact 111, your local police department, or report the crime on New Zealand's Police cybercrime webpage.
When reporting to the police, make sure to document the following:
Date & time of the incident
Contacts including names, titles, phone numbers, and extensions
Financial information including credit/debit cards, BSB and account numbers, or exposed invoices
Any signs of network infections or malicious software (malware) used
Any other information you identify about the scammer such as phone numbers, email, website address, or car registration plate number (to help with any investigations)
Any other related information in reference to the crime
It’s also important to ask for a copy of the police report and the police report number related to the crime to provide to the bank.
2. Contact Your Financial Institution
Next step is to contact your bank and report the suspicious activity on your bank account. The banks can immediately investigate your bank statements & freeze all your accounts to stop cybercriminals from making any more fraudulent payments.
Some banks may have advanced security and fraud alerts in place to detect abnormal transactions or spend patterns. In addition, some banks have cybersecurity teams that can investigate suspicious transactions and activity that took place across your accounts.
3. Contact Representatives & IT Teams
According to your organisation’s anti-fraud policy, all executives must communicate in line with the organisation’s stance and processes on fraud and how it should be dealt with. In the immediate aftermath of identity theft, departments must follow company protocols ensuring the right decisions are made.
For instance, urgently consulting with the CEO, director, and IT professionals is essential in de-escalating the fallout of identity fraud. Your IT team can investigate how the cybercrime was orchestrated, whether any financial accounts are compromised, and examine any server logs to pinpoint the source of the attack.
4. Reviewing A Copy Of Your Credit Report
One way to identify identity fraud is to review your credit history for any incorrect balances or errors. If a fraudster has opened an account in your name or made fraudulent transactions, then you should immediately dispute it with a credit report agency.
Usually, when individuals or businesses fall victim to identity theft, their credit scores are negatively impacted. Organisations can also place a security freeze on their credit reports if they suspect suspicious activity or request to block or remove fraudulent debts.
Requesting a credit report is a free service and straightforward. Below are several credit report agency hotlines to request your credit report:
| Credit Report Agency | Contact |
| Equifax | 138 332 |
| Experian | 1300 783 684 |
| Illion | 1300 734 806 |
| Clearscore | help@clearscore.com |
| Moneysmart | 1800 555 660 |
| Finder | 1300 346 337 |
5. Report The Crime to CERT NZ & the Department of Internal Affairs NZ
It’s critical that you report cybercrime to regulatory bodies to assist investigators in tracking down criminals who could be targeting other organisations in the same industry.
By reporting the crime to the appropriate authorities like CERT NZ or the Department of Internal Affairs NZ, you can play a major role in making the internet safer and more secure for other New Zealanders.
These regulatory bodies might have information to help you identify the crime syndicates behind your cyber fraud case.
In addition, CERT NZ has further information if you fall victim to cybercrime. If you think your identity has been stolen, CERT NZ recommends the following:
For social media accounts, make sure you contact the appropriate support desk for each application
Report any sensitive information that you think has been stolen e.g. passports, driver's license, credit card information, etc.
Contact your bank immediately if you have any issues with your credit card or suspect unauthorized transactions
6. Report Harmful Content to Netsafe
Netsafe is a reputable website that assists everyday New Zealanders with harmful content online. You can report a number of concerns like bullying and harassment, image-based abuse, scams, and more. You can report a scam by filling out their online form.
7. Consider Applying For A Victim's Certificate
A victim’s certificate may help you with problems in your personal or business affairs caused by identity crime. You can apply for a certificate from The Department of Internal Affairs. You can also report other items that you may believe have been stolen like lost or stolen documents, suspicious phone calls and mail, as well as strange transactions or other concerns.
8. Seek Support & Advice
Organisations looking to seek further support & advice can do so by contacting cyber support services like IDCARE or the Citizens Advice Bureau.
IDCARE
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity & cyber support service that provides assistance and support to organisations that experience data breach events. IDCARE can provide the necessary steps to take to reduce harm and protect the identity of the organisation.
Seek support today on the IDCARE website or contact 0800 121 068 (for organisational incident response) between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM AEST, Monday to Friday.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Bureau is a locally based, communication organisation that assists the everyday kiwi with their rights and obligations. If you think your identity information is at risk, contact or email the Citizens Advice Bureau Helpdesk at 0800 367 222 or visit their contact page to send an email.
How Eftsure Can Help
Cybercriminals have the potential to steal your identity within days.
In the aftermath of an identity crime, you will find that the experience can be devastating and a painful process to deal with. Even if you report the scam as soon as possible, there’s no guarantee that you can fully recover the lost funds.
That’s why strengthening security controls & preventing identity theft is critical.
With Eftsure, our real-time alerts will allow you to investigate any fraudulent activity before releasing payment by verifying the BSB and Account Number. All outgoing payments are verified against our proprietary database, giving your business assurance that cybercriminals are not defrauding you.
Contact Eftsure today, for a full demonstration of how we can protect your business from identity theft.
