Guarding against identity theft
One of the most disturbing developments in recent years has been the growth of crime where fraudsters pretend to be someone else. According to Cifas, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, the number of cases of this sort of fraud has increased by six times in six years.
It’s not pleasant to think that someone may be pretending to be you, in order to commit a crime. Even worse is what’s called ‘identity theft’, where a stranger actually assumes your name and some aspects of your life on an indefinite basis. This may be done to borrow money or to claim benefits in your name.
Unfortunately, you may end up suffering the consequences. Even where you don’t lose money, you are likely to have to go to a great deal of effort to sort things out. You may find it harder to borrow money yourself (because your credit rating has been affected) or to change your genuine banking arrangements.
It’s all too easy for criminals to find out small – and apparently trivial – bits of information about you which, put together, allow them to pretend to be you. But, with a little care, you can make it harder for them.
Avoiding the obvious risks
Here are some things you can do to minimise your risk of suffering identify theft.
- Keep key documents (passport, driving licence) safe. Avoid carrying too many personal documents or cards with you in your wallet or purse.
- Check bank and credit card statements when they come, looking out for any transactions which you can’t explain.
- Make sure that mail you’re expecting really does turn up.
- Tear up into small pieces (or shred) utility bills, financial records and other addressed mail before throwing it away (see quiz below).
- Send off regularly (say, once a year) for copies of your credit reference files (select 'Credit references' from the menu on the right hand side). Check them for any transactions you can’t explain.
- Shield the key pad with you hand when entering your PIN in shops or in cash machines, so people standing behind you can’t see the numbers you’re entering
- Know the telephone numbers to ring for your bank and card issuers so that you can contact them immediately if your cards are lost or stolen.
Your mail could be intercepted
Tip: If you think your mail is being stolen, contact the Royal Mail customer helpline, 08457 740740. You can also arrange for all your post to be kept for you in the sorting office.
Tip: You can arrange to pick up new bank and credit cards from your local bank branch.
You’re moving home
The problem here is that it will take time for all the companies and organisations that deal with you to learn your new address and stop using your old one. A particular risk is that someone who finds your mail at your old house may try to assume your name.
Take particular care if you’re living abroad for a time.
Tip: When you move, arrange with the Post Office to have all your mail redirected, at least for a year.
Tip: If you are renting out your property, take up character references before taking on tenants.
Rubbish bin quiz
Which of these things thrown away in your household rubbish might help a fraudster steal your identity?
- Old gas bill
- Old bank statement
- Junk mail asking you to apply for a credit card
- Old credit card receipt
- Old newspapers
- Old tea bag
Relax! There’s no danger in throwing away old newspapers or tea bags! But all the rest may just be rubbish to you but in the wrong hands could spell trouble. Tear stuff like this into very small pieces before binning them, or even better if possible use a shredder.
