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
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Those looking for love and living with disability are being hit hard by scams. CHOICE investigates, with tips for staying safe.
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With the latest phone scams, it's even harder to spot fact from fake.
What is the MediSecure breach and how does it affect you?
The breach is bigger than the Optus leak and includes sensitive information
Why aren't businesses doing more to stop us from getting scammed?
A new CHOICE report reveals four out of five scam victims received no warning before transferring money to a scammer.
Why does a business I left years ago still have my data?
Businesses are supposed to delete your personal info after you're no longer a customer, but that doesn't seem to be happening.
What is doxxing, and how can you avoid it?
How doxxers cause harm by finding and exposing your sensitive or personal information.
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?
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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.
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.
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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
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Latitude Finance breach affecting customers of many current and former businesses
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You can protect your identity online by focusing on anonymity rather than privacy.
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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.
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Complaints about credit reporting firm Equifax
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NDIS recipient information hacked in major data breach
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 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
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How to change your Facebook privacy settings
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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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Online safety guide
Security tips to protect against scams, spam, malware, ransomware and viruses.
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