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A VicRoads official has blamed his agency’s electronic mailing system for a blunder that led to thousands of people in regional Victoria worrying about a data breach, after they received official correspondence that contained an incorrect surname.
The message, which was sent to fully licensed drivers in the Ballarat region on Wednesday, invited people to participate in an early rollout of Victoria’s digital driver licence.
A mock-up of Victoria’s incoming digital driver’s licence.
“Be the first to get your licence on your phone,” the message read, followed by a link to register.
But there was a problem: people’s surnames were incorrect, triggering fears of a widespread scam or possible data breach.
One woman, whose surname is Steers, posted her message from VicRoads on social media, revealing the agency had addressed her as Ms Senanayakage. Another woman, whose surname is Guna, said she had been given the last name Car.
The head of VicRoads registration and licensing, Dean Tillotson, ruled out a scam or data breach on Thursday and said it was a technical error.
“We apologise to customers in Ballarat,” he said. “The error is limited to an incorrect name reflected on the direct email and no other personal information has been disclosed.”
All fully licensed drivers in the regional city are eligible to participate in the pilot program, meaning as many as 40,000 or so people could have been affected by the blunder.
Customers will not need to update their details, which otherwise remain correct, according to VicRoads.
States such as South Australia and NSW have had digital driver licences since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Government Services Minister Danny Pearson announced last month that Victoria would follow suit.
Ballarat is the first trial site and a statewide rollout will begin sometime next year. The change will mean drivers will be able to opt into a system where they can identify themselves to authorities and businesses using an app on their mobile phone instead of having to carry a physical copy of their driver licence at all times.
Victoria’s digital driver licence will be housed in the Service Victoria app and a yet-to-be-built version by VicRoads. However, the online card won’t be available on Apple Wallet, unlike the international COVID vaccination certificate.
The state government has so far refused to say whether drivers will get a discount on licence renewals if they switch over to the new system, given VicRoads will soon have to print and mail out fewer plastic cards.
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