Table of Contents

Identity theft

Identity theft happens when fraudsters access enough information about someone’s identity (such as their name, date of birth, current or previous addresses) to commit identity fraud. Identity theft can take place whether the fraud victim is alive or deceased.

If you’re a victim of identity theft, it can lead to fraud that can have a direct impact on your personal finances and could also make it difficult for you to obtain loans, credit cards or a mortgage until the matter is resolved.

Identity fraud can be described as the use of that stolen identity in criminal activity to obtain goods or services by deception.

Fraudsters can use your identity details to:

  1. Open bank accounts.
  2. Obtain credit cards, loans and state benefits.
  3. Order goods in your name.
  4. Take over your existing accounts.
  5. Take out mobile phone contracts.
  6. Obtain genuine documents such as passports and driving licences in your name.
  7. Stealing an individual’s identity details does not, on its own, constitute identity fraud. But using that identity for any of the above activities does.

The first you know of it may be when you receive bills or invoices for things you haven’t ordered, or when you receive letters from debt collectors for debts that aren’t yours.

Criminals commit identity theft by stealing your personal information. This is often done by taking documents from your rubbish or by making contact with you and pretending to be from a legitimate organisation.

Protect yourself against identity fraud

  • Don’t throw out anything with your name, address or financial details without shredding it first.
  • If you receive an unsolicited email or phone call from what appears to be your bank or building society asking for your security details, never reveal your full password, login details or account numbers. Be aware that a bank will never ask for your PIN or for a whole security number or password.
  • If you are concerned about the source of a call, wait five minutes and call your bank from a different telephone making sure there is a dialling tone.
  • Check your statements carefully and report anything suspicious to the bank or financial service provider concerned.
  • Don’t leave things like bills lying around for others to look at.
  • If you’re expecting a bank or credit card statement and it doesn’t arrive, tell your bank or credit card company.
  • If you move house, ask Royal Mail to redirect your post for at least a year.
  • These credit reference agencies offer a credit report checking service to alert you to any key changes on your credit file that could indicate potential fraudulent activity: • TransUnion • Equifax • Experian • ClearScore
  • It is particularly helpful to check your personal credit file 2-3 months after you have moved house.

What should you do if you’ve been a victim of identity fraud?

If you’ve been a victim of identity fraud, the official Government advice is to:

  • 1

    Contact your bank: Ask them to withhold pending transactions and ask about their claims process if any money has been taken fraudulently.

  • 2

    Change your passwords and PINs: This should include bank accounts, email addresses and social media accounts.

  • 3

    Register with Cifas: Cifas is the UK’s fraud prevention community. For £30 you can have Protective Registration for 2 years which tells any Cifas organisation (which includes most banks, credit providers and telecommunication companies) to carry out extra checks whenever your name or details are used to apply for their services.

  • 4

    Lost or stolen documents?: Report them to the organisation that issued them, such as the Passport Office, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or bank. You should also report the theft of documents to the police and ask for a crime reference number.

  • 5

    Unusual transactions on your bank statement?: Tell your bank, building society and credit card company immediately.

  • 6

    Check your credit report: This will show you if anyone has been trying to make credit applications using your identity. The three main credit reference agencies in the UK are:

    • Equifax
    • Experian
    • Transunion

    A credit check is free and it won’t affect your credit score, so it may be worth checking with all three.

  • 7

    Suspicious credit applications?: Report any mismatches to the credit reference agencies, who will alert the relevant lender. The lender will investigate and approve the request to have the credit application removed from your credit report. This can take several weeks, so the sooner you report it, the sooner your records will be updated.

  • 8

    Credit taken out in your name?: Tell the bank or lender immediately. You should also report any fraudulent activity to the police.

  • 9

    Worried your credit score is at risk?: Consider setting up an extra layer of security on your credit report, which makes it harder for fraudsters to pretend to be you. Here are 2 options:

    • A fraud alert on your credit report This means lenders must run extra identity checks before offering credit in your name. There is a cost for this service through the credit reference agencies.
    • A Notice of Correction password This can be added to your credit report for free. Make sure you choose something nobody could guess. If anyone applies for credit in your name – including you – the lender must ask for this password before they lend the money.

Plastic cards

  • If your plastic cards are lost or stolen, cancel them immediately. Keep a note of the emergency numbers you should call.
  • When giving your card details or personal information over the phone, internet or in a shop, make sure other people cannot hear or see your personal information.

Documents

  • Keep your personal documents in a safe place, preferably in a lockable drawer or cabinet at home. Consider storing valuable financial documents such as share certificates with your bank.
  • Don't throw away entire bills, receipts, credit-or debit-card slips, bank statements or even unwanted post in your name. Destroy unwanted documents, preferably by using a shredder.

Passwords and PINs

  • Never give personal or account details to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. Be suspicious even if they claim to be from your bank or the police.
  • Don't use the same password for more than one account and never use banking passwords for any other websites. Using different passwords increases security and makes it less likely that someone could access any other accounts.

Protecting the identity of deceased family members

Criminals sometimes use the identities of deceased persons to commit fraud, which can be very distressing for those close to the deceased.

The following websites offer deceased person mail preference services and provide further information on this issue:

  • The Bereavement Register
  • Deceased Preference Service

Tags

Insurance fraud
Banking and credit
Finanical investment