By managing your personal information carefully, you can substantially reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of identity fraud. Here are some tips to show you how:

• Be Vigilant
  Beware of anybody who contacts you unexpectedly and asks for personal information or account details even if they claim to be from your bank, the police or another official organisation like your local council. Ask for their name and a contact number and then check with the organisation in question before calling back.
• Pay Attention to Billing Cycles
  Contact creditors immediately if your bills arrive late. A missing bill could mean a fraudster has taken over your credit card account and changed your billing address.

How to prevent ID fraud

• Check Your Credit Report at Credit Reference Agencies
  It is a good idea to check your credit report regularly with an accredited credit reference agency, such as Veda Advantage, to ensure no accounts or credit have been illegally set up in your name. Regular monitoring of your credit report will alert you if someone has been using your identity to obtain credit, ensuring you can not only rectify your credit report as soon as possible but also stop the fraudster in their tracks.
• Shred All Documents
  Shredding documents is the best way to ensure that criminals cannot build up a profile based on the information you discard in your rubbish. Invest in a powerful shredder and make it a standard practice, whether at home or at work, to shred all documents including expired credit cards and compact discs containing personal or financial information before binning or recycling them.
  Confetti cut shredders provide greater security by cutting paper into small confetti-like particles and also reduce bulk waste. Companies such as Fellowes offer affordable shredders for home and office use
• Protect Your Post
  Deposit outgoing post in post office boxes or at your local post office rather than leaving it in office out trays or similar. If you plan to go away, contact Australia Post about how to prevent mail build-up. For incoming post, ensure you mailbox is secured with a lock, so that once mail is delivered it can only be accessed by you or other authorized persons.

  With 1.7 million post office boxes installed in over 3,500 outlets across the country, Australia Post has the largest post office box network in Australia.

  A post office box address provides:

  • Security – with a post office box your mail is kept safe under lock and key until you’re ready to collect it. Protected from the weather and unwanted attention, a post office box is the key to complete confidentiality.
  • Privacy – a post office box means your physical street address remains private, so it provides a level of protection against unwanted callers.
  • Consistency – if you decide to move home or business, your post office box doesn’t need to change. You’ll never have to worry about forgetting to tell your friends and contacts about your change of address again.
  • Convenience – we deliver mail to your post office box as soon as it is sorted. And with 24 hour access to your mail at most post offices, you can collect your mail whenever you want.

  Post office boxes can be leased at Australia Post outlets in city, metropolitan, rural and remote areas and are available in a range of sizes to suit private and business customers.

  To find out more about post office boxes call in to any Australia Post outlet, visit www.auspost.com.au/postofficeboxes or call 13 13 18.

• Stay Safe Online
  If you use the internet make sure you have the latest security patches and up-to-date anti-virus software installed

For more details click here to download your free guide to Protecting Your Identity.