| Australia is losing a billion dollars every year to identity | | | | costing more than $1billion dollars were scrapped at the |
| theft, according to the Australian government, and | | | | end of 2007 following the election of the Rudd |
| nearly 90 per cent of Aussies are said to be | | | | Government. The Howard Government planned to |
| concerned about having their identity stolen. | | | | give every Australian a biometric smartcard, including |
| With identity theft reputed to be the fastest growing | | | | photo and individual health and welfare number. This |
| crime globally, what is being done to protect | | | | was considered by many to be an identity card |
| Australians from the growing menace posed by | | | | scheme in disguise. Reports suggested the smartcard |
| identity fraudsters? | | | | scheme could have been 'piggybacked' by private |
| The National Identity Security Strategy (NISS) was | | | | companies, such as banks and financial institutions, as a |
| introduced by the Australian Government in 2005. This | | | | means of tackling identity fraud. |
| national identity strategy aims to tackle identity crime | | | | The use of voice authentication technology to tackle |
| committed with the use of fake identity documents, | | | | call centre identity fraud is being researched by boffins |
| such as passports and drivers' licenses. Beefing up the | | | | at the University Of Canberra. The university's |
| ability of Australian authorities to spot fake identity | | | | biometrics scientists are working on systems which |
| documents lies at the heart of the strategy. Fake | | | | could enable companies to verify people using their |
| identity documents are used by fraudsters to steal | | | | voice patterns. This may avoid the need to send |
| benefits, such as Centrelink payments, and money | | | | sensitive personal information abroad, reducing the risk |
| from the banks. | | | | of Aussies falling prey to identity fraudsters targeting |
| $28 million dollars has been pledged to the roll out of | | | | call centres. |
| the National Document Verification Service, a key | | | | Tough new money laundering laws, which came into |
| plank of the NISS. The service will be an online system | | | | force at the end of 2007, will see tighter identity |
| for checking the authenticity of identity documents, and | | | | checks on Australians when opening up new bank |
| will be accessible by government agencies. It could | | | | accounts, using casinos or purchasing travellers |
| also be rolled out to the private sector, which would | | | | cheques. It is expected the Anti Money Laundering and |
| help banks and other companies verify the identities of | | | | Counter Terrorism Finance Act will help to combat |
| consumers. The service will enable government | | | | identity fraud in Australia. Financial organisations have |
| officials to ensure documents presented were actually | | | | to meet the strict identity check requirements of the |
| issued and the details contained within them are | | | | legislation by the end of 2008. This act brings Australia |
| accurate. | | | | into line with other countries, such as the UK and US, |
| Biometrics, a method of using the physical attributes of | | | | which have strengthened their money laundering rules. |
| individuals to verify their identity, is increasingly being | | | | The publication of court judgments on the internet has |
| deployed by governments and private companies to | | | | led the NSW Supreme Court to change the way it |
| combat identity theft. | | | | writes judgments. Personal identifiers, such as |
| Australia's immigration service, the Department of | | | | birthdates and addresses, which can be used to |
| Immigration and Citizenship, is collecting biometric data | | | | commit identity fraud will no longer be published in |
| on new migrants. It is expected the collection of | | | | judgments. |
| biometric details on 'non citizens' - such as photos, | | | | Among the advice in the government's identity theft |
| fingerprints, and, iris scans - will help national and | | | | self help guide "ID theft kit" is the need for consumers |
| international efforts to tackle identity fraud. The | | | | to regularly check their credit report to help spot any |
| physical details of new entrants are being stored on | | | | fraudulent activity committed against them. A free |
| the DIAC database, known as the Identity Services | | | | credit report can be accessed every year by writing |
| Repository. | | | | to the credit reference agencies. |
| Plans for a welfare services identity card system | | | | |