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Did you know…that identity fraud is one of the UK’s fastest-growing crimes, with more than 120,000 cases recorded last year?

• It takes an average of 539 days to discover that you’ve become a victim of identity fraud – and up to 500 hours of work to clear your name!
• One in four UK adults has either been a victim of ID fraud or knows someone who had suffered from it, according to Which?
• Londoners are twice as likely to have their identity stolen by criminals as people in other parts of the UK? People in the South East and North West are the next most vulnerable.
• You are at risk of having your identity stolen if you don’t redirect your post after moving home?
• Almost half of all adults in the UK have been targeted by criminals trying to get personal financial data over the internet or phone – and that five per cent of people fall for these scams?

More Helpful Information
Keep Safe Online	Who is looking at Your Identity	What to Do if your ID is stolen

If you are worried about becoming a victim, sign up for a free, 30-day trial at CreditExpert.co.uk, the online credit monitoring and identity protection service from Experian. Then you can check your credit report – your personal credit history – at any time to be sure that nobody has applied for loans, mortgages or cards in your name. The service also sends you a weekly alert if there is any significant change to your credit report, so you spot any problems immediately and resolve them quickly.

Specially commissioned research compiled for the Week* shows that whilst the public fear being a victim of identity fraud more than pickpocketing, muggings or even burglary, a large number still put themselves at risk by disposing of private information without first rendering it unreadable. large number still put themselves at risk by disposing of private information without first rendering it unreadable.

A new poll by Populus* shows that 40% of the public questioned rated identity fraud as their major concern in a list of crimes that included burglary (27%), mugging (21%) and pickpocketing (3%).

Despite this, a new piece of ‘bin raiding’ research*, shows that an alarming 77% of household waste contained at least one or more items which could assist fraudsters in stealing an identity. With 24.5 million households in the UK, that would suggest that over 18m households are under threat from identity fraud because they are failing to take the simple recommended steps to render their private information unusable for identity thieves.

Almost every week, a scare story about identity fraud makes news, with stories of victims losing their savings, their homes or their businesses to criminals who have impersonated them – and cleaned them out. Fortunately, most people are not hit so hard. Research by the Victims of Fraud service at Experian, the UK’s leading credit reference agency , shows that the average losses range from almost £2,000 on a credit card to more than £7,000 on a current account.

But the disruption suffered by those whose identities have been stolen and misused is often devastating. Victims of Fraud has found that it can take up to 500 hours of work to sort out the mess. In the meantime, the victim often finds it impossible to get a credit card, loan or mortgage – which is a major inconvenience for most people.
In an attempt to tackle the problem, the government has launched a campaign to warn us of the dangers, help us to keep our identities safe and offer us advice on what to do if we become victims – visit www.identity-theft.org.uk for more information.

From theft to fraud

Identity theft takes place when a criminal gets hold of enough personal and financial details to impersonate you. Common methods include raiding your rubbish in search of discarded documents such as bank and credit card statements, stealing personal documents such as passports, or intercepting your post. Theft turns to fraud when someone uses those details to get money, goods or services in your name, often by taking out loans and credit cards and running up debts that they have no intention of repaying.

Victims of Fraud has found that it takes an average of 539 days to discover that you’ve become a victim. Alarm bells often ring only when you are pursued for a debt you knew nothing about, or perhaps when your post goes missing.

Steps you can take to protect yourselves include:

• Monitor your credit report online and get unlimited access with CreditExpert.co.uk
• Keep your personal and confidential documents secure
• Always shred before disposing of documentation – bank and credit card statements, utility bills, receipts, direct mail containing any personal information, mortgage applications etc
• Regularly check your bank and credit card accounts for unusual transactions
• When you move home, redirect your mail to your new address by contacting Royal Mail Redirection Service on 0845 7740 740, visiting your local branch or www.royalmail.com
• Never give out any personal information to unidentified individuals or organisations who contact you by phone, email or face-to-face
• If you have been a victim of identity fraud contact your nearest Police station or visit www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/
• If you have information about identity fraud contact the police or call Crimestoppers to give information anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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