TL;DR: File a report with Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which tracks scam and identity theft reports nationally.
How to Report Identity Theft in Australia — a clear, step-by-step guide to what to do and how long it takes.
Step 1: Report to Scamwatch
File a report with Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which tracks scam and identity theft reports nationally.
Step 2: Contact IDCARE
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand's national identity and cyber support service — they can walk you through a personalized response plan for your specific situation, free of charge.
Step 3: Report to police if money or documents were involved
If you lost money or had physical identity documents stolen, file a report with your state or territory police as well.
Step 4: Contact your bank and relevant institutions
Notify your bank, and any government agencies whose documents (like your driver's licence or passport) may have been compromised.
Step 5: Check your credit report
Request a copy of your credit report from an Australian credit reporting body to check for unfamiliar accounts or enquiries.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading How to Report Identity Theft in Canada.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see How to Report Identity Theft to the FTC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Step 1: Report to Scamwatch
File a report with Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which tracks scam and identity theft reports nationally.
Step 2: Contact IDCARE
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand's national identity and cyber support service — they can walk you through a personalized response plan for your specific situation, free of charge.
Step 3: Report to police if money or documents were involved
If you lost money or had physical identity documents stolen, file a report with your state or territory police as well.
Step 4: Contact your bank and relevant institutions
Notify your bank, and any government agencies whose documents (like your driver's licence or passport) may have been compromised.
Step 5: Check your credit report
Request a copy of your credit report from an Australian credit reporting body to check for unfamiliar accounts or enquiries.