UPDATE: Optus has released a statement, offering “the most affected current and former customers” the ability to receive a 12-month subscription to Equifax Protect at no cost. Equifax Protect is a credit monitoring and identity protection service, which can be used to help protect credit profiles and identity.
Optus has not provided details as to which customers are deemed “most affected”, and only stated that the “most affected customers will be receiving direct communications from Optus over the coming days on how to start their subscription at no cost”.
Our original article continues below.
Optus has confirmed it’s contacted all customers who have had their identity data compromised in last week’s customer data breach.
The hacked identity data includes licence and passport numbers, and while Optus was unable to verify the number of impacted customers, it confirmed only a subset of its customers have had this data breached. If you were part of this subset, Optus will have reached out to you via email or SMS.
Optus says it’s still in the process of contacting other impacted customers who have had different data hacked, such as names, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses. The telco says payment details and account passwords for its customers have not been compromised in the cyber attack.
In the aftermath of the cyber attack, Optus has stressed to its customers that it will not include hyperlinks in its email and SMS communications. As such, help keep your identity secure and do not click on any links in emails or text messages claiming to be from Optus.
What to do if your data was exposed in Optus hack
If your data has been exposed in the Optus hack, there are a number of organisations you can contact for help and advice. The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has created a specific help page with steps on what to do if someone has stolen, or is trying to steal, your identity. You can also reach the ACSC on its hotline – 1300 CYBER1.
Other sources you can contact for help and information include Moneysmart.gov.au, ID Care and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Ready to switch from Optus?
If you’re an Optus customer considering jumping ship, you might be looking for a new NBN plan or SIM-only plan. It’s important to note that while Optus is the telco that has been hacked, we have no way of telling if other telcos are at risk of similar data breaches.
Furthermore, if you’re an Optus mobile customer currently paying off a handset, then you may be locked into a contract for up to 12, 24 or 36 months. You’ll need to contact Optus if you wish to switch mobile providers, and you may be required to pay out the remaining cost of your handset.
Optus’ NBN plans currently come with a no lock-in contract, but will require you to pay out the remaining cost of the modem if you decide to leave within 36 months of signing up. Our advice is to speak with Optus if you find that you’re in a contract that you wish to break early.
For suggestions on NBN and mobile plans to switch to, read our dedicated guides on the best NBN plans and best SIM-only plans.
