CANBERRA (AAP)

The federal government is planning a major crackdown on email scams and identity fraud in recognition of the unprecedented growth in swindles.The federal attorney-general's department revealed new offences would be created to target scammers.

"There is actually a joint commonwealth-state-territory process of working together to develop some model offences in that area," Karl Alderson, from the federal attorney-general department's criminal law branch, told a parliamentary inquiry."There is no public announcement of those because they need to be considered by ministers."But there is work going on which will come into the public domain, we expect, within a few months."

His revelation comes as the high-level Australasian Consumer Fraud Task Force launches a four-week campaign teaching consumers how to protect themselves.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said unprecedented numbers of sophisticated swindlers were bombarding Australians with electronic, phone and postal scams."There seems to be a scam created to trap just about everyone - from dodgy emails and text messages, to phishing, lottery scams, fake investment schemes, bogus medical cons, Nigerian letter scams, fake employment and money laundering schemes, and identity theft," Mr Ruddock said in a statement."On identity theft alone, losses to the Australian community are estimated to be in excess of $1 billion annually."Justice and Customs Minister Senator Chris Ellison said the scammers were active with new tricks and the problem was not going away.

Mr Ruddock's spokesman said no further details of the offences would be provided until an announcement was made at a later date.Dr Alderson was responding to a question during a Senate inquiry into the government's planned health and welfare access card on any departmental moves to strengthen laws dealing with identity-related fraud.Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja, who made the query, said the Australian Democrats would welcome any developments in the area.

The government claimed the access card would minimise fraud and identity theft, Senator Stott-Despoja said, but evidence suggested the "honey pot of information" might make it easier for criminals to access and misuse people's information."It would make sense to have strengthened laws in place before the advent of the access card," Senator Despoja said.The Australasian Consumer Fraud Task Force was launched in 2005 and comprises government departments and agencies including the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).
(06/03/2007 04:48:25 PM)