All about Optus data breach, Identity theft possibilities and restoration help

Personal information of up to 11.2 million people may have been exposed in Optus data breach

In September 2022, Optus, an Australian telecoms provider, announced they were the subject of a cyberattack that compromised the personal data of millions of their customers. Information which may have been exposed includes customers’ names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, and, for a subset of customers, addresses and ID document numbers such as driver licence or passport number.

How do you know if you have been involved in a data breach?

Usually, data breaches are disclosed via the company’s press release, which reaches news outlets in no time. If you hear about a breach involving an institution you do business with, contact the organisation in question to check whether your data has been compromised. You can visit the organisation’s website to see if there is a statement about the breach with any instructions about what to do next, or you can contact the company’s customer service department. Particularly for this breach, Optus is contacting all customers to notify them of the previously announced cyberattack’s impact on their personal details.

What happens if your personal information is exposed?

You may start receiving email scams, SMS scams and phishing links that could lead to financial loss and other severe consequences. Furthermore, your sensitive information may be illegally traded on the dark web. With this information, criminals could impersonate you, max out your credit cards, open fraudulent accounts with your details, take out a loan, rent an apartment, steal your frequent-flyer points or carry out other cybercriminal activities. Unfortunately, many people would have no idea what to do should their identity be stolen.

Help is available in the event of identity theft

Norton offers a comprehensive digital safety solution that helps protect your devices, online privacy and your identity. We monitor the Dark web and your Social media accounts around the clock to identify potential risks if detected and will alert you. Should you discover you’re a victim of identity theft, a dedicated restoration specialist will help guide you through the restoration process, and total coverage of up to $58K AUD for specific losses and expenses associated with identity theft. We are here to help every step of the way.

Discovered your identity has been stolen? Help from a dedicated Restoration Specialist is a call away.

If your identity is compromised, a dedicated Norton Identity Restoration Specialist can help you.

They can:

• Help you resolve disputes with merchants and other relevant parties, including credit card companies, financial institutions, government agencies or other official parties
• Make phone calls with you
• Assist you with paperwork you might have, from your matter's initiation to its resolution
• Help correct financial and credit records that have been altered as a result of identity theft

What are the steps in the restoration process¹?

1. File a request: You call our Restoration Specialist to advise us about the potential identity theft.
2. Collect documentation: The Restoration Specialist will gather the information to open a case and walk you through next steps.
3. Work with a third-party administrator: Our Restoration Specialist works with a third-party administrator to resolve your case.
4. Provide updates and verify closure: At least every 30 days, our Restoration Specialist provides you an update on the status of your case(s). If the fraud claim is resolved, we ensure that you receive a written confirmation or release letter.

¹Steps may vary per restoration case.

If you have been impacted financially from identity theft, Norton Identity Theft Insurance provides reimbursement cover and other losses and expenses associated with identity theft, including financial loss and legal fees. The individual cover limits add to a combined reimbursement cover up to A$58k:

• Up to $25k legal expense reimbursement
• Up to $25k obligation to pay cover
• Up to $3k for lost income
• Up to $5k for miscellaneous expenses
  

Get Norton Identity Advisor Plus
Available now at Officeworks or online at
https://au.norton.com/products/identity-advisor-plus

Source: 
https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2022/09/optus-notifies-customers-of-cyberattack
https://us.norton.com/blog/emerging-threats/143-million-people-exposed-in-equifax-data-breach
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v134999418