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PRIVACY ACT 1988 - SECT 20Y

Destruction of credit reporting information in cases of fraud

             (1)  This section applies if:

                     (a)  a credit reporting body holds credit reporting information about an individual; and

                     (b)  the information relates to consumer credit that has been provided by a credit provider to the individual, or a person purporting to be the individual; and

                     (c)  the body is satisfied that:

                              (i)  the individual has been a victim of fraud (including identity fraud); and

                             (ii)  the consumer credit was provided as a result of that fraud.

Destruction of credit reporting information

             (2)  The credit reporting body must:

                     (a)  destroy the credit reporting information; and

                     (b)  within a reasonable period after the information is destroyed:

                              (i)  give the individual a written notice that states that the information has been destroyed and sets out the effect of subsection (4); and

                             (ii)  give the credit provider a written notice that states that the information has been destroyed.

Civil penalty:          1,000 penalty units.

             (3)  Subsection (2) does not apply if the credit reporting body is required by or under an Australian law, or a court/tribunal order, to retain the credit reporting information.

Notification of destruction to third parties

             (4)  If:

                     (a)  a credit reporting body destroys credit reporting information about an individual under subsection (2); and

                     (b)  the body has previously disclosed the information to one or more recipients under Subdivision D of this Division;

the body must, within a reasonable period after the destruction, notify those recipients of the destruction and the matters referred to in paragraph (1)(c).

Civil penalty:          500 penalty units.

             (5)  Subsection (4) does not apply if the credit reporting body is required by or under an Australian law, or a court/tribunal order, not to give the notification.



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