Government data reveals that tens of thousands of identity documents are reported lost in the Australian postal system each year. Over the past three years, approximately 3,200 Australian passports were reported as "lost in the post" after being sent via registered mail. Additionally, more than 70,000 driver's licenses and photo ID cards from Queensland were declared lost by customers during the same period.

In the last financial year alone, the Queensland government reported that 25,000 identity documents were lost in the mail. Although these figures represent a small fraction—around 1 percent or less—of the millions of documents sent annually, identity theft experts find the numbers alarming.

David Lacey, founder of IDCare, emphasized the risks associated with lost official photo IDs. "The general rule of thumb is any government-issued credential that has a photo is of value to a criminal," he stated. He noted that driver's licenses are particularly appealing to criminals. "You can acquire a driver's license on the dark net for around $70, which is almost twice the price of a passport," he added. Lacey explained that driver's licenses can be used to access a wider range of products and services than other forms of identification.

"The most common misuse we see in relation to a driver's license stolen—or even just the details acquired—relates to transaction account establishment or the establishment of credit in someone's name," Lacey said.

The actual number of unaccounted Australian licenses in the postal system may be higher, as most states do not track this specific data or have not provided it when requested. To mitigate the risk of identity theft and fraud, the Queensland government reissues replacement cards with new unique numbers.

When an Australian passport is reported lost in the mail, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade initiates an investigation with Australia Post. If the passport cannot be located, it is canceled, and a new one is issued. Some missing passports and identity cards have been recovered, but no specific figures are available regarding those accounted for.

Sean, a father of three, recently learned that three U.S. passports in his children's names are considered lost in the postal system. He ordered the passports through the U.S. Consulate in Melbourne in June. Emails confirm that they were posted two weeks later, complete with three separate tracking numbers. However, the items disappeared from the Australia Post tracking system after being processed at the Melbourne Airport sorting facility on July 1.

After Sean lodged an inquiry, Australia Post conducted a search but was unable to locate any of the passports. "They were each packaged individually," he said. "The fact all three went missing at the same time concerned me."

Sean reported that Australia Post compensated him $100 per passport, but he expressed that the financial aspect was not his primary concern. "I'm just really worried," he said.