Optus data hack: How to replace your NSW driver’s licence and passport details

Optus customers whose identification data has been hacked are strongly advised to get a new licence number and passport. Find out how to apply for a replacement.

If you’re one of the 10 million Optus customers affected by last week’s data breach chances are your driver‘s licence number and passport details have been exposed.

NSW customer service minister, Victor Dominello confirmed Optus will notify customers in the coming days if their NSW driver’s licence number was stolen in the hack, and has “strongly advised” those customers to apply for a replacement licence.

APPLYING FOR A NEW NSW DRIVER’S LICENCE

To apply for a new one, residents with a digital driver’s licence should head to the Service NSW app, where an interim card number will be issued immediately. This can be used instead of a plastic licence card.

A new plastic licence card will then be issued and sent to the home of the resident within 10 business days.

🔹OPTUS DATA BREACH UPDATE 🔹

1. Firstly I am sorry it has taken several days to reach this landing. People are understandably stressed and need a pathway forward. pic.twitter.com/LYcGSU4dFJ

— Victor Dominello MP (@VictorDominello) September 27, 2022

Those applying for a new card will have to front the $29 replacement fee, but “reimbursement advice will be issued by Optus to customers in the coming days” according to Mr Dominello.

The minister apologised on Twitter for taking “several days to reach this landing”.

“People are understandably stressed and need a pathway forward,” he said on Tuesday.

“Optus is conducting forensic analysis to understand the exact number of customers affected – and the type of information that has been compromised in each case,” Mr Dominello said.

Head to the Service NSW APP,

Victor Dominello said.

Previously, getting a new driver’s licence changes the card number, but the licence number remains the same.

To change the licence number NSW residents have had to “report the theft or incident to police and obtain a police event or ReportCyber receipt (CIRS) number” and then fill out a replacement form.”

Mr Dominello said the government had established “ID Support NSW” which people can call for help in replacing their identity documents.

Those who need support regarding the replacement of identity documents or advice on what preventive actions they can take are encouraged to contact ID Support on 1800 001 040.

The Australian Electoral Commission said enrolled voters who obtain a new driver’s licence or passport number due to the breach are not required to update their electoral enrolment.

Up to 2.8 million Optus customers have had their identification details stolen, the telco has said. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

PASSPORTS

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected calls that the federal government should foot the bill for replacing compromised passports tangled in Optus’s data leak.

“We believe that Optus should pay, not taxpayers,” Mr Albanese told parliament.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong also penned a letter to Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin expressing the same request be fulfilled for affected customers.

“There is no justification for these Australians — or for taxpayers more broadly on their behalf — to bear the cost of obtaining a new passport,” Ms Wong wrote.

The comments come as the federal opposition proposed the automatic issuing of new passports to victims of the Optus hack to help prevent identity theft.

WHAT IS THE OPTUS DATA BREACH?

Last Thursday, the personal information of at least 9.8 million current and former Optus customers was hacked, including names, dates of birth, passport numbers, Medicare numbers, drivers’ licence details and email addresses.

The telco said of the affected customers, 2.8 million had their identification details stolen – which includes things like passport details, drivers’ licence numbers and Medicare numbers.

Current and previous Optus customers have been warned of a heightened risk of scams and the federal government has urged Australians not to click on any suspicious links.