AI scraper website exposes private phone numbers of Australian PM and others
Private phone numbers of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, opposition leader Sussan Ley, and Donald Trump Jr were publicly listed on a US website powered by AI scrapers. Australian authorities opened an investigation after the disclosure was reported by independent media.
What happened
Private phone numbers of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, opposition leader Sussan Ley, Donald Trump Jr and other high-profile figures were published on a US website that uses AI to scrape the internet for information.
The site claims to have contact details for hundreds of millions of professionals and is used by recruiters and sales representatives. Both Albanese's and Trump Jr's numbers remained publicly listed on the site as of the reporting date.
Reported impact
Prime Minister Albanese's office became aware of the situation, which was first reported by independent Australian media outlet Ette Media, and local authorities began investigating.
A spokesman for opposition leader Sussan Ley said the matter was "obviously concerning" and they requested the information be removed.
Index analysis
It is unclear how the site obtained the information, but Australia has suffered a series of large data breaches in recent years.
The BBC verified the site includes a current private number for Albanese and a personal contact for Donald Trump Jr, though it is unclear if the latter still uses it.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.