How can I protect myself from identity theft?

The best way to limit the risk of identity theft is to keep your information safe and secure. For example:

• Have strong passwords, and don’t disclose them to anyone.
• Be careful when using public wi-fi, and don’t do internet banking or make online purchases using it.
• Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails, and never give out personal information to a cold-caller or someone whose identity you are not sure of.
• Use the privacy settings on your social media, and remember that anything you put online stays online. If you don’t want it to become public, don’t put it there. It only takes one friend to forward your photo or comment for the world to see it.

CERTNZ has security tips on choosing passwords, two factor authentication, and improving your online privacy and security. You can visit their website here(external link).

Here are some proactive steps you can take to check, if you think you may be at risk of identity theft:

• Keep an eye on your bank accounts and credit cards, and follow up immediately if anything looks odd.
• Check your credit file every 6-12 months or set up a credit alert.
• If you are notified that your personal information may have been involved in a data breach, follow the advice in the notification or make enquiries about what you should do to limit the risk of identity theft.
• Check your exposure to identity theft with the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities’ ID Theft tool(external link), and get tips on how to improve your information security.

If you think you have been the victim of identity fraud, the identity support service, IDcare(external link), can provide help and support. The Department of Internal Affairs(external link) and Police(external link) have information about what you can do to reduce the chances of identity fraud, and what to do if you become a victim of it.