‘Risk of identity theft' with tens of thousands of ID documents reported lost in post | 7.30

Key Concepts

• Lost passports and identity documents in the mail
• Identity theft and fraud
• Australia Post security and delivery issues
• Postal Industry Ombudsman complaints
• Risk of stolen credentials

Lost Passports and Identity Documents

• Jean, an American living in Australia, applied for three US passports for his children through the US consulate in Melbourne in mid-June.
• The passports were lost in the mail after arriving at the Melbourne depot.
• Australia Post paid around $100 compensation per passport.
• Jean is concerned about the safety and privacy of his children due to the missing passports.
• Government figures show around 3,200 Australian passports were reported lost in the post over the past 3 years (less than 1% of millions sent).
• Queensland government says around 25,000 photo IDs and licenses were reported missing in the post in the last 12 months. The total over 3 years was around 70,000.
• Most states don't track this specific data.

Identity Theft and Fraud

• David Lacy, founder of ID Care, states that any government-issued credential with a photo is valuable to criminals.
• Driver's licenses are the identity card of choice for criminals, costing around 70 Australian dollars on the darknet (almost twice the price of a passport).
• Criminals often target credit-related services and products using stolen government-issued credentials with photographic IDs (credit cards, personal loans, mortgages).
• There is a general lack of awareness in the community about the risks of stolen credentials.

Australia Post Security and Delivery Issues

• Australia Post cites packaging problems, incorrect addresses, and weather events as reasons for missing items.
• Security breaches do occur.
• A Sydney postal worker and two other men were arrested and charged over an alleged $1.4 million fraud ring involving stolen bank cards.
• A former Australia Post contractor was sentenced to 2 years jail for stealing $400,000 worth of gift cards, alcohol, luxury watches, and cash from the mail.
• Thieves forced their way into an Australia Post mailbox room in Melbourne CBD three times in a matter of days.
• Julie lost a birthday card containing two $50 notes sent via express post.

Postal Industry Ombudsman Complaints

• Complaints about postal services to the ombudsman climbed by 12% to more than 4,500 last year.
• Loss is the third biggest category of complaints, accounting for around 20% of complaints.
• The ombudsman's recommendations are generally taken seriously.
• Australia Post delivers around 9 million parcels each week, and the vast majority reach their destination safely and on time.

Risk of Stolen Credentials

• The general rule of thumb is that any government-issued credential that has a photo is of value to a criminal.
• Missing IDs, even if not stolen, pose a potential risk while unaccounted for.
• Stolen credentials can be used to obtain credit cards, personal loans, and mortgages.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video highlights the concerning issue of lost passports and identity documents in the mail, emphasizing the potential for identity theft and fraud. While Australia Post claims that most items are delivered safely, the reported cases of missing documents, security breaches, and internal theft raise serious questions about the security and reliability of the postal service. The Postal Industry Ombudsman's increasing number of complaints further underscores the need for improved security measures and greater public awareness of the risks associated with lost or stolen credentials. Jean's personal experience and the statistics presented serve as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of these issues.