Your personal information is valuable to criminals — it lets them impersonate you, get into your accounts, commit identity theft, or make a scam sound convincing. Even small, seemingly harmless details can add up to real risk once combined with other data.
What criminals look for
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Identity documents
- Banking details
- Account credentials
The more of this a criminal has, the easier you are to impersonate.
Be careful what you share online
Social media and other public profiles can reveal your family relationships, your employer, your travel plans, your interests, and where you are. Scammers use exactly this kind of detail to personalise a scam and make it more convincing.
Verify before you share information
Before you provide personal information, ask:
- Who's asking for it?
- Why do they need it?
- Have I verified they're genuine?
- Is there a safer way to give it to them?
Don't hand over sensitive information just because someone contacted you out of nowhere.
Protect your identity documents
Treat identity documents with care. Only send or upload one when you understand why it's needed, you've independently verified the recipient, and you're using an approved method.
If your information has been shared
- Change your passwords
- Secure your important accounts
- Review your account activity
- Contact the relevant providers
- Keep watching for unusual activity
Fraudsters don't always use stolen information straight away — stay alert even after the immediate risk seems to have passed.