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Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
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Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
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Account and phone access

An abuser is contacting you or getting into your account. If this happens, your provider should act fast to keep you safe and connected.

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Your safety comes first

If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, call 000.

For confidential domestic and family violence support, contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). Their trained counsellors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Contact 1800RESPECT

If you are not ready to seek support right now, you can continue reading this page and come back to these services whenever you need them.

TIPS

How you can work with your provider on account or phone access issues

  1. Tell your provider you need help with your account. Say it’s because of family violence, or that you’re worried about your safety

  2. Ask what it can do to stop the abuser contacting you or getting into your account

  3. Tell your provider what would help you right now, such as a new number or extra account security

  4. Ask your provider when they will take these steps

EXPECTATIONS

What we expect your provider to do

If you report an account or phone access issue, your provider should:

  • Listen and respond

    Your provider should listen to how the issue affects you, take you seriously and tell you what it can do and by when.

  • Provide safer ways to prove who you are

    Your provider should secure your account by giving you other ways to prove who you are.

  • Check who can access your account

    Your provider should check who’s listed on your account, confirm what they can do, and record how to contact you safely.

  • Protect your information

    Your provider should keep your personal information safe from the person abusing you.

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OUR CONSIDERATIONS

We look at what went wrong, what your provider told you and if it did enough to keep you safe.

  • What your provider did when you reported the issue

  • If your provider shared and followed its family violence policy

  • If your provider did enough to keep you safe

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

Depending on your issue, we may ask your provider to...

  • Give you safer ways to prove who you are

    Offer other ways to prove who you are when you make contact.

  • Support your current needs

    Offer you support and arrangements that suit your situation now.

  • Keep you safe

    Take steps to protect you, such as a new number, a PIN or extra account security.

  • Keep your details from the abuser

    Make sure it doesn’t share your information with the person causing you harm.

How we've helped others