Protecting your personal information after a data breach

Steps to make sure your personal details are secure after a data breach.

Medlab data breach

We’re working closely with Medlab to identify customers who’ve been affected by the Medlab data breach. If you’ve been affected by the breach, Medlab will contact you. There are things you can do if your Medicare details have been exposed.

You can keep up to date about the Medlab cyberattack on the Medlab Pathology website.

Medibank Private and AHM data breach

We’re working closely with Medibank Group. If you’ve been affected by the breach, Medibank Private or AHM will contact you. There are things you can do if your Medicare details have been exposed.

You can keep up to date about the Medibank Private and AHM cyberattack on the Medibank Group website.

Optus data breach

We worked with Optus to match our records with information about Optus customers affected by the recent data breach. We’ve now identified affected customers and Optus has contacted people whose Medicare card numbers were exposed.

You can keep up to date about the Optus cyberattack on the Optus website.

Medicare

Many people use their Medicare card details as a source of identification. Here’s what you can do if your Medicare details have been exposed because of a data breach. You can also do this if you feel your identity is at risk of being stolen.

If your details are exposed

If you’ve been notified that your Medicare number was exposed, you can get a free replacement Medicare card. Your old card will no longer be valid.

This will prevent people from being able to use the old card details for fraud.

If your identity is stolen

If you’ve identified fraudulent activity, you can get a new Medicare number and card.

This can help prevent people from committing fraudulent activity with your Medicare information.

How to request a replacement card or a new Medicare number

You can do this online using either:

To do this:

  1. Sign in to myGov.
  2. Select if you want to get a replacement or get a new card.
  3. Follow the prompts.

Sign in to myGov

You can also call the Medicare program.

You can use a digital copy of your new Medicare card straight away. You can do this in the Express Plus Medicare app. We’ll send your new card to the address you give us, in 3 to 4 weeks. Find out how to get a digital card.

Centrelink concession card

If the number on your Centrelink concession card was exposed by the Optus data breach you don’t need to get a replacement card. We’re putting in place additional security measures to protect your information.

myGov

Your myGov account has security features that protect your information. But there are things you can do now to make sure you have a high level of security.

Make sure your myGov password and PIN can’t be easily guessed and that it’s different to your other online accounts.

You can also use a sign in option that makes it harder for people to compromise your account. This includes:

  • getting security codes sent to you by SMS
  • getting security codes using the myGov Code Generator app
  • signing in using your Digital Identity.

Find out more about how you can protect your myGov account, on the myGov website.

Unauthorised activity

If you believe you have received a scam email or there has been unauthorised activity to your Services Australia accounts, you can call our Scams and Identity Theft Help Desk.

There are also steps you can take to protect yourself and report scams.

More ways to protect your details

The Australian Cyber Security Centre has information about what you can do in the event of a data breach.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner also has information about how to respond to a data breach notification.

Page last updated: 2 November 2022.