AVG (AU/NZ) and Secure Sentinel Work Together to Help Protect Australians/New Zealanders from Online and Offline Identity Theft and Fraud
AVG (AU/NZ) Gives Customers Additional Tools to Help Fight Identity Theft
Melbourne, 16 May 2011 — AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, the distributor of the award-winning AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, has announced an agreement with Secure Sentinel. Between them, the two companies help protect customers against cyber crime and the theft of physical possessions, such as credit cards and smartphones, which are linked to personal identity and security. Secure Sentinel (part of the Veda Advantage group) is Australia and New Zealand’s leading provider of loss and theft assistance and identity theft monitoring and detection services.
While AVG provides online protection for the users of PCs, smartphones and tablets, the new link with Secure Sentinel can extend that protection to the physical loss of registered cards, keys, wallets, phones and passports with SecurePlus, as well as credit monitoring and alert services via SecureIdentity.
AVG (AU/NZ)’s managing director, Peter Cameron said: “AVG (AU/NZ) and Secure Sentinel have seen the synergies between our two areas of expertise and the potential for both our highly trusted brands to grow from this new relationship. This complementary product offering is a great tie-in for our customers.”
The banking and finance sector provides the largest channel in Secure Sentinel’s distribution network and the company is actively looking for corporate partnerships in other industries to sell its services and expand personal security education in the marketplace.
Suresh Mistry, Key Account Manager at Secure Sentinel, said: “The agreement with AVG (AU/NZ) is one of the first for us with a non-financial sector organisation. It signals the start of a holistic view of personal protection in the Australian and New Zealand marketplace, both offline and online.”
Getting protection in both the cyber and physical worlds is now fast and simple. Once an AVG (AU/NZ) customer completes their online transaction on the AVG (AU/NZ) web site, or clicks on any link to Secure Sentinel on the site, they will be told about the Secure Sentinel offer. The client then has the option to click through to Secure Sentinel for further service information and purchasing.
Identity theft is on the rise with 4.4 million Australians affected by identity fraud (source: Galaxy Research 2009) with more than half (67%) of those affected revealing they have not done anything to protect themselves from a future attack.
Mistry said: “Not only does this fraud problem affect lost or stolen cards, there are also around 200,000 mobile phones reported lost or stolen each year (source: Australian Telecommunications Association). Most people are unaware of how much unprotected personal identification information they carry in their wallets and phones. This is a very real problem and needs to be taken seriously by everyone.”
Until becoming a victim of identity fraud, few people realise the enormous impact of the theft. They can bear significant financial and emotional costs and may experience difficulties in regaining their identity. Victims may face financial problems, experience difficulties getting a job, a bank loan, a car lease or other credit, accessing government services and even renting a house.
Since 2008, surveys conducted by AVG have shown that approximately half the respondents in Australia and New Zealand are now very concerned about cyber crime.
AVG (AU/NZ) has a comprehensive range of security tips on its web site at http://www.avg.com.au/resources/security-tips/. For video tips from AVG (AU/NZ), see http://www.youtube.com/user/avgaunz.