A victim of the Generate KiwiSaver hack is considering legal action to seek compensation for stress and the risk of identity theft.
Photo: 123RF
One of the 26,000 KiwiSavers who had personal information, including their physical address, IRD number, bank statements and identification, stolen by an unknown third party has sought advice from Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron.
John James Campbell told RNZ Business he was awaiting legal advice to decide whether to proceed with a case against Generate.
Initial advice suggested the KiwiSaver provider was a complicated business structure with its owners likely protected from any fallout, he said.
"It would be difficult, but not impossible, to actually get any real compensation," Campbell said.
He had laid a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner, changed his email address, passwords for online accounts, and froze his credit reports to prevent identity fraud.
"For the rest of my life, I have to worry about what they [the unknown third party] are going to do with that information."
Generate told victims this week it would cover the cost of replacing their drivers licence and passport, if they were stolen in the hack, and would waive the annual $36 member fee for all customers affected.
Campbell said his drivers licence was stolen years ago after he lost his wallet, which caused 'havoc'.
He was denied credit to cover the cost of his daughter's funeral.
"The stuff just dogged me, to the point where I couldn't even get a cellphone on a contract.
"After many years I have finally managed to get all that sorted out and get back to a really good credit history, and I am right in the throes of buying a house, now this has happened."