Privacy & Credit Reporting Policy

Oceanic Mercantile Pty Ltd (ABN: 52 098 907 512) Last Updated: [31.3.2026]

1. Our Commitment to Privacy

Oceanic Mercantile Pty Ltd (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals. We are bound by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code 2014. This policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal and credit-related information.

2. Types of Information We Collect

In the course of our debt recovery and process serving activities, we may collect:

• Identification Information: Name, date of birth, current and previous addresses, and contact details (phone, email).
• Financial & Debt Information: Details of debts owed, repayment history, and financial hardship applications.
• Credit-Related Information: Credit scores, default information, and court proceedings.
• Sensitive Information: Only collected with your consent or if required by law (e.g., health information related to a hardship claim).

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information through various channels:

• From our Clients: The original creditor who has referred your account to us.
• Directly from You: Through phone calls, emails, or our website.
• Public Records: Including the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) or land title offices.
• Third Parties: Such as credit reporting bodies (CRBs), skip tracing services, and government agencies.

4. Why We Collect and Use Information

We use your information for purposes including:

• Assessing and recovering outstanding debts.
• Locating individuals (skip tracing) for process serving or debt recovery.
• Updating credit reporting bodies about the status of a debt.
• Complying with legal and regulatory obligations, including the ACCC/ASIC Debt Collection Guideline.
• Initiating or managing legal proceedings where necessary.

5. Disclosure of Information

We may disclose your information to:

• The Original Creditor: Our client who owns the debt.
• Credit Reporting Bodies (CRBs): Such as Equifax, Illion, or Experian.
• Our Agents/Contractors: Including field agents, process servers, and legal counsel.
• Regulatory Bodies: If required by law or a court order.

Note on Overseas Disclosure: We do not typically disclose personal information to overseas recipients. If this changes, we will update this policy and ensure the recipient complies with the APPs.

6. Credit Reporting & Notifiable Matters

As a debt collection agency, we may report “defaults” to CRBs. Under the Credit Reporting Code, you have specific rights:

• Fraud Protection: You can ask a CRB not to use your credit reporting information if you believe you are a victim of fraud.
• Direct Marketing: You can ask a CRB not to use your information for “pre-screening” for direct marketing.
• Notifiable Matters: A detailed “Statement of Notifiable Matters” is available upon request.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss, and unauthorised access. This includes:

• Encryption: Secure electronic storage and data transmission.
• Access Controls: Restricted access to authorised personnel only.
• Disposal: Secure destruction of information once it is no longer required for legal or business purposes.

8. Your Rights: Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections if the data is inaccurate.

• Process: Contact our Privacy Officer (details below).
• Timeline: We aim to respond to access/correction requests within 30 days.

9. Complaints

If you believe we have breached the APPs or the Credit Reporting Code, please contact us first.

• Internal Review: Our Privacy Officer will investigate and respond within 30 days.
• External Review: If you are unsatisfied, you may lodge a complaint with:
  • The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.
  • The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) if applicable.

10. Contact Us

Privacy Officer Oceanic Mercantile Pty Ltd Address: PO Box 123 ROSE BAY NSW 2029 Email: info@ompl.com.au Phone: 1300 924 010