Sometimes our data is stolen from us by hackers. Sometimes it's wheedled out of us by devious scammers, often posing as someone else, such as a phone engineer. But often we give it away carelessly, with too little awareness of its value – and the ways it could be used against it. Find out how to keep a tighter rein on your data, and protect yourself and your family against hacks and scams.
Data privacy and safety
Data privacy and safety
How to take control of your data.
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Articles
Heartless romance scammers exploiting people with disability
Those looking for love and living with disability are being hit hard by scams. CHOICE investigates, with tips for staying safe.
Romance scam warning: Why love and money don't mix
Australians lost $40 million to romance scams last year, usually after connecting on a dating site or social media.
Australia needs stricter anti-scam laws now
CHOICE is calling on the government to make banks reimburse scam victims for their losses.
AI voice scams are coming. Here's what you need to know
Hi Mum 2.0: With the latest phone scams, it's even harder to spot fact from fake.
Consumer groups issue blueprint to force Meta and Google to do more on scams
CHOICE joins global statement, as own data shows 9 out of 10 Australians think tech giants must do more to protect consumers.
How to check if a text or email is a scam
Received a message that looks a bit suspicious? Here's how to verify if it's authentic or the work of a scammer.
You're more likely to be scammed when you're stressed
Research shows that staying calm, cool and collected may be your best defense.
How to avoid and report impersonation scams
Scams Awareness Week is here and this year we're giving you advice on how to spot and report impersonation scams.
Five steps to take if you've been scammed
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How to avoid the new scam targeting people holding loyalty points with major companies including Qantas, Coles and Telstra.
Scams are surging – CHOICE calls on banks to do more
We're fighting for stronger regulations to protect Australians from increasing instances of fraud.
Scams targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers on the rise
The ACCC warns that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are increasingly becoming the victims of scams, with remote communities facing unique challenges.
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Latitude Finance breach affecting customers of many current and former businesses
Greg hasn’t used a credit product associated with Latitude in many years, so why was his personal data caught in the breach?
Cyber crimes surge in second half of 2022
The latest OAIC report indicates companies must do more to protect consumer data.
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You can protect your identity online by focusing on anonymity rather than privacy.
What happens to stolen data on the dark web?
Medibank customers have been informed that their hacked data has been released on the dark web, but what does that mean?
What to do if you've been caught in a data breach
Scammers and hackers can use your information to steal from, impersonate and defraud you or your loved ones.
Customers 'horrified', 'frustrated' by Medibank's data hack response
Medibank customers caught up in the data hack tell CHOICE of their frustration at the insurer's poor response.
Harcourts real estate reveals major data breach
In an email to customers, the agency reportedly admitted that names, addresses, banking details and more are now likely in the hands of hackers.
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The health fund initially said no customer data had been accessed. Now it says data of some 4 million members has been breached.
What to do if you've been caught up in the Optus data breach
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Viral victims: Scam survivors trying to recoup their losses online
Scam victims are turning to the web to recover their losses, but advocates say banks should be doing more to support them.
How to secure your Google account
We look at how to protect the personal and private information in your Google account.
Four things to do with your data before you die
With so much of our data and assets now stored online, how do we make sure our loved ones aren’t locked out after we die?
Complaints about credit reporting firm Equifax
CHOICE has heard from a number of Equifax customers who say the services they pay for are falling short.
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Personal identification and sensitive health information of recipients of the National Disability Insurance Scheme hacked.
10 online scams you need to know about
And the tips and tricks to help you avoid them.
Drowning in privacy policies: CHOICE calls for reform
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How to remove metadata from photos and videos
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What does Windows Security do?
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How to make sense of a privacy policy
Privacy policies are lengthy and often full of jargon, so just what should you look out for?
How to avoid giving away your personal details online
Sometimes hackers ask politely for the information they need. Here's how to steer clear of their tricks on social media.
Meet the new CHOICE team tackling data misuse
We're taking on consumer data misuse and harmful automated decision-making.
Equifax data breach a 'one-off', agency claims
When an Equifax customer logged in and saw someone else's details, he worried about the safety of his own personal data.
Steer clear of fake Dyson Facebook pages offering $4 products
The company tells CHOICE it has no links to bogus Facebook pages and urges customers to ignore them.
How two-factor authentication can protect your password
Improved password security will make your online accounts less vulnerable to hackers.
How to control your app permissions
What do your apps know about you?
Avoid online scams: phishing
What is phishing, how can you spot it and what can you do?
How to control your cookie settings
Stop companies tracking your activity online.
Online competitions – the tricks and traps
Too good to be true? Don't be fooled by alluring prizes.
How to change your Facebook privacy settings
What you can do to limit your personal data being shared by Facebook.
Family Zone review
A cyber gatekeeper for all your digital devices – including phones, tablets and games consoles.
Personal health record online
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