Aussie mobile customers’ private data up for sale

Private information on Australian mobile subscribers are being sold off by unscrupulous members of offshore call centers, according to an investigative report.

The private details of customers from the market’s three operators – Optus, Telstra and Vodafone – are being offered for sale by a call center business named AI Solutions, run by Indian businesman Imran Khan.

Information including home addresses, dates of birth, alternative numbers, billing statements and call history are being offered for between A$350 ($260) and A$1,000, the report states. Prices are higher for VIPs , politicians, police and celebrities.

Security industry sources spoken to for the report say the practice of call center workers selling off Australian customer details has been long-standing, and potentially involves more than one company.

In a press statement, a Vodafone Hutchison Australia spokesperson said the company is “aware there are individuals who do attempt to illegally access data through various channels from companies and organisations which hold customer information,” and has “invested millions of dollars over recent years in security systems and processes, and have a number of safeguards in place to prevent unlawful access of customer information.”

For offshore call centers, security safeguards include paperless offices, a no mobile phone policy, no access to third party websites, email monitoring, role based systems access, continuous agent training and disciplinary process.

An Optus spokesperson said the company has referred the matter to federal police, and Telstra said the company does everything it can to protect customer data.