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