Privacy commissioner Timothy Pilgrim has warned the data collected on individuals by corporations is a honey pot calling to criminals.

The warning comes as complaints to his office have soared. ''That was a 10 per cent increase on the previous year and the figures year to date look like we are heading towards another 10 per cent increase on last year. We have already passed the 1357 mark at the end of May and I would think we were looking at 1500-plus this year.''

Timothy Pilgrim. Credit:Michele Mossop

But he said the figures did not give an accurate picture of concerns about privacy as Australians often complained to the company directly or industry ombudsmen. Last month Mr Pilgrim's office finished an international internet privacy sweep with 19 nations and searched the 50 most popular websites in Australia for privacy policies and use of data collection.

Mr Pilgrim said the results were still being collated but involved companies such as Google, Facebook and some government-run websites. ''I think all organisations need to … make sure they only collect the type of information that is absolutely essential to provide the service,'' Mr Pilgrim said. ''One of the risks is that if corporations collect too much information it can potentially become like a honey pot for people who want to break in and steal that information and leads to identity theft and fraud. The greater the information held the greater the risk.''

From March 12 companies will have to give Australians more information about what data is collected and how it is used. ''The new principles are going to be a bit more specific about what needs to be in privacy policies.''