| Your identity is extremely valuable. You need it to | | | | you are notresponsible for them. |
| prove who you arefor various purposes in your | | | | The government - the public purse suffers from |
| day-to-day life, such as opening a bankaccount, | | | | billions of poundsworth of fraudulent tax and |
| obtaining a loan, getting a credit card, purchasing | | | | benefit claims every year. |
| goods orservices, applying for a passport or | | | | Financial organisations - the companies with whom |
| driving licence, or claimingbenefits. If a criminal gets | | | | your details havebeen falsely used to obtain |
| hold of your personal details, they can doexactly | | | | money may never be able to recover what |
| the same things in your name without your | | | | wasstolen in your name. |
| knowledge. And it'snot rare for this to happen - | | | | How to protect yourself against identity fraud |
| the problem of identity theft isincreasing all the | | | | Don't throw anything containing your name and |
| time and the Home Office estimates that it costs | | | | address and/orotherpersonal details into the bin |
| the | | | | without shredding it first. This includesbills, bank |
| UK economy £1.7 billion a year. | | | | statements, benefits statements, receipts and |
| It's therefore extremely important to keep your | | | | even unwantedpost and junk mail. |
| personal informationsafe. There are lots of things | | | | Always let your bank and other organisations of |
| you can do to protect yourself fromidentity fraud. | | | | which you are acustomer know when you move |
| This practical factsheet provides some useful tips | | | | house. |
| andinformation on how to do this. | | | | Don't use your mother's maiden name as a |
| Ways in which your identity might be stolen | | | | security password |
| A house burglary in which personal documents are | | | | Check your credit rating with each of the three |
| stolen. | | | | UK creditagenciesat least once a year. (These are |
| Handbag or wallet theft. | | | | Experian, Equifax and Call Credit.) |
| Fraudulent internet or phone banking scams in | | | | Don't use the same password for all accounts. |
| which youinadvertently give out personal details to | | | | If you're worried that someone else could easily |
| fraudsters in the beliefthat you are being | | | | intercept yourpost, arrange to collect important |
| contacted by a legitimate organisation such as | | | | items rather than have them postedto you, e.g. |
| yourown bank. | | | | credit cards or cheque books from your bank. |
| Post in your name being delivered to a previous | | | | Cancel stolen credit cards immediately. |
| address of yoursand used to commit fraud in | | | | Contact the DVLA or the Passport Agency |
| your name. | | | | immediately if yourdriving licence or passport have |
| Having your post stolen or redirected without | | | | been stolen. |
| your permission. | | | | Don't give out your credit card numbers or other |
| Internal systems fraud - for example, payroll data | | | | personalinformation over the phone if people |
| from employeesof the Government Tax Credit | | | | nearby could overhear. |
| Office was stolen in 2005 and theirdetails used to | | | | Check your bank and other financial |
| falsely claim benefits. | | | | statementsregularly to check for suspicious |
| Criminals raking through your rubbish to find | | | | transactions. |
| personalinformation. | | | | If you receive a phone call or email from what |
| How will you know when your identity has been | | | | seems to be alegitimate organisation requesting |
| stolen? | | | | personal details, check it's genuinebefore |
| Often people first find out about it when they are | | | | proceeding. The best approach is to take their |
| refused creditbecause their credit rating has | | | | phone number andcall them back. Banks will never |
| dropped. | | | | ask you for your PIN or login detailsfor their |
| You're not receiving any post at all, or key | | | | banking system. |
| documents or lettersyou have been expecting do | | | | Ensure your computer is safe for making online |
| not arrive. | | | | transactions - getanti-virus software and a good |
| You receive bills or invoices for goods that you | | | | firewall for protection, and only everenter |
| didn't purchase. | | | | personal details onto secure sites (with the prefix |
| There are some transactions on your bank | | | | https in theaddress). |
| account that you don'trecognise. | | | | What to do if your identity has been stolen |
| You have received solicitors letters or letters | | | | Contact the organisations with whom the fraud |
| from debtcollectors that have nothing to do with | | | | has been committedto explain what has |
| you. | | | | happened. |
| You apply for benefits and are told that you are | | | | Inform the police. |
| already claiming. | | | | Get in touch with the Royal Mail if you suspect |
| You receive correspondence from a government | | | | your mail hasbeen intercepted. |
| agency demandingrepayment of benefits when | | | | Contact CIFAS, the UK's fraud protection agency, |
| you have never claimed anything in the firstplace. | | | | and registerwith their protection service to help |
| Who loses out? | | | | prevent future fraud. |
| You - your credit rating could be damaged and | | | | Get credit reports from the three credit checking |
| you might find itdifficult to obtain credit in the | | | | agencies toidentify exactly what has been done in |
| future. You will also have to proveto the | | | | your name. |
| organisations demanding payment from you that | | | | |