Latitude Financial Services data breach

 

13 April 2023

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a cyber incident impacting Latitude Financial Services.  

Copies of approximately 103,000 identity documents have been stolen from Latitude Financial. This includes a small number of passports.   

Latitude Financial Services is contacting impacted customers directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.  

Foreign passports were also compromised through this cyberattack. If Latitude Financial Services have advised you that your foreign passport information was compromised, you should contact the government that issued the passport for advice on what to do.

Impacted passports are still safe to use for international travel. Your passport number cannot be used to obtain a new passport. Robust controls are used to protect passports from identity takeover, including sophisticated facial recognition technology. Further information on how your passport may be impacted can be found on the APO website(link is external).  

Advice on safeguarding your personal information can be found on the APO’s webpage on protecting against scams and identity theft(link is external).   

Customers can also seek help from IDCare(link is external), a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the Australian community in responding to identity theft.  

Advice on how to protect yourself and your family from cyber security incidents is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) webpage at: www.cyber.gov.au(link is external) 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is my Australian passport still safe to use for international travel purposes?

Yes. Your passport is still safe to use for international travel. Your passport details can’t be used by someone else to travel under your identity. They would need your physical passport to do this.

Could someone else get an Australian passport using my identity?

We use robust controls that protect you from identity takeover. This includes sophisticated facial recognition technology.

What about identity fraud? 

We understand you may be concerned that your passport could be used for identity fraud.  

The Australian Government has taken steps to protect passport holders from identity crime. 

The Australian Government has blocked affected Australian passports from verifying through the Document Verification Service (DVS).  

Government departments and financial organisations like banks use the DVS, an online system, to check identity documents are valid before granting access to health and welfare payments or financial services, such as home loans. 

The Australian Government has blocked passports compromised as part of the Latitude Financial Services breach from verifying through the DVS. 

This means your identity will stay safe and secure. 

What if I need to access government or financial services using my passport? 

The Australian Government has blocked all compromised Australian passports from being used as a form of identity through the Document Verification Service (DVS). This protects victims of the Latitude Financial Services data breach from serious misuse of their identity information. 

Impacted customers should consider using alternative credentials to prove their identity or speak to the service provider about other options.  For example, presenting your physical passport in person. 

Once my Australian passport has been blocked through the DVS, can I still use it as a form of identity in Australia? 

Your passport is still a valid form of identity when used in person. You won’t be able to use it to verify your identity online. For example, if you’re using it to apply for a home loan online. 

Do I need to get a new passport?

Your passport can still be used for international travel.

Passports that are valid or have been expired for less than three years can be used for identity purposes. If Latitude Financial Services have confirmed that your current or recently expired passport has been impacted in this cyber incident, you may wish to replace it to prevent its misuse as an identity document.

I'm still nervous. Can I replace my Australian passport?

You should allow at least six weeks to get a new or replacement passport. If you’re planning to travel in the next six weeks, don’t apply for a replacement.

If you’d like to replace your passport, please go to passports.gov.au.

For more information, go to the replacement passport page.

Do I need to pay for my replacement passport?

Yes. Please refer to the fees below or the fees page for further information on passport fees.

If your identity documents were compromised as part of this cyber-attack, Latitude Financial Services will write to you with advice on replacing your compromised credentials.

How much will it cost to replace my Australian passport?

If your passport is still valid for more than 2 years, a replacement passport, with the same expiry as your current passport, will cost $204.

If your passport expires in less than 2 years or expired less than 3 years ago, it will cost $325 to get a 10-year passport.

Latitude have advised that if you choose to replace your passport, you will need to contact them regarding eligibility for reimbursement.

Can I cancel my Australian passport without getting a new one?

Yes. You can call us on 131 232 to cancel your Australian passport.

I'm currently overseas. How do I cancel my Australian passport?

Your passport is still safe for travel. If you want to cancel it, please contact your closest Australian embassy or consulate(link is external).

What if I have a foreign passport?

You’ll need to contact the diplomatic or consular mission of the country that issued the passport.

I received a notification from Latitude Financial Services about a data breach involving my personal details. Is this a scam?

Latitude Financial Services is notifying its impacted customers directly.

We recommend you consult the dedicated help page(link is external) on Latitude Financial Services’ website(link is external), through which you can request urgent assistance.

If you’d like to speak to someone directly, you can contact Latitude’s dedicated contact centre for impacted individuals on (+61) 1300 793 416 from 9am to 6pm AEDT, Monday - Friday (excluding public holidays).

If you’re concerned that your identity has been compromised, or you’ve been a victim of a scam, contact your bank immediately and call IDCARE(link is external) on 1800 595 160.