News in Brief

Australia Acts Against Identity Crimes

Australia is stepping up its response to identity crime through the Credential Protection Register (CPR), a national capability designed to stop stolen or compromised identity document details being misused in everyday verification checks.

According to the Attorney-General’s portfolio, the CPR has blocked more than 750,000 fraudulent identity verification requests since it was established in 2022 – an average of around 18,000 per month. The register sits within Australia’s National Identity Verification Services, which are widely used by government agencies and businesses to confirm customer identities.

The CPR works by preventing an identity document from being verified through these services if it has been flagged as compromised or at high risk of misuse – while still allowing the document to be used for its primary function. For example, a passport number can be blocked from being used to support a fraudulent loan, rental or employment application, without affecting the passport’s use for international travel.