Identity Theft

What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, like your name, national insurance number, credit card number or any other financial account information, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

The crime takes many forms, identity thieves may rent a house, apply for a credit card or open a telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until you receive a credit card statement or report or you are contacted by debt collectors.

Security tips

Regularly get a copy of your personal credit file from a credit reference agency.
Royal Mail offers a redirection service to help prevent identity fraud when you move house.
If you move house, tell your bank and credit card company immediately.
Cancel any lost or stolen cards.
Keep your personal documents in a safe place.
If your passport or driving licence has been lost or stolen contact the organisation that issued it.
Don't use the same password for more than one account and never use banking passwords on other websites. Avoid using your mother's maiden name or dates of birth as passwords.

How do thieves steal an identity?

Bin diving: They go through bins looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.

Skimming: They steal credit or debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.

Phishing: They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.

Changing your address: They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.

Stealing: They may steal your wallet, mail, cheques or any other personal information.

Pretexting: They use false pretences to obtain your personal information (for example, a pretexter may call, claim he's from a research firm, and ask you for your name, address, birth date, and national insurance number).

What personal financial information should I protect and how can I keep it safe?

Fraudsters can target you at home, and will even rummage through your rubbish to get to your finances. By knowing some simple ways to safeguard your information, you can stop the criminals.

Personal Information and Safe Disposal

Make sure you don't make it easy for the criminals, destroy household utility bills, bank statements and credit card bills safely.
All sorts of mail contains information you would not necessarily want to share with a stranger.
Criminals have in the past used card details to make purchases on the telephone or via the Internet.
Placing bills in clear rubbish sacks as provided by many local authorise for recycling then placing the bags on the pavement may give an insight into all your finances.
Don't leave sensitive information around for prying eyes.
Office life can be busy with lots of people having access to your work area, protect your personal information.
Consider a paper shredder to help keep your finances private.

Checking your bank statement and non-arrival of post

When you receive your bank statement, take a few moments to check through your monthly transactions if you're not happy and spot anything unusual or suspicious contact the bank direct to establish fraud at an early stage.

If your expecting correspondence from your bank and it doesn't arrive contact the bank immediately to inform them of your concerns.

Third parties and your bank account

To open a bank account is a fairly simple process and the high streets have a number of companies that will cash cheques for the individual willing to pay their commission. So if you are asked to have money paid into your bank account by a friend, acquaintance or colleague, question why your account is needed.

Don't place yourself in a compromising position

To receive stolen funds is an offence and you may make yourself liable for prosecution, to retain a wrongful credit is an offence punishable by imprisonment. If in doubt don't allow your account to be used. Seek advice from your bank and contact your local Police Force.

Scams: Keep safe

If you are being targeted by fraudsters remember that you are only one of many and you can take some minor precautions for your own safety depending on how you are being contacted.

Buying online, protecting your identity, and preventing fraud

Keep the following tips in mind before you enter personal information on a Web site or decide to make a purchase online:

Deal with companies or individuals you know by reputation or experience. If you aren't familiar with the company, do your research. Find out their address and phone number. Do not conduct business with a company that doesn't list a physical address or telephone number on its website.
Read the terms and conditions of the contract to make sure you understand the delivery options, return policy, and product or service warranty. For international transactions, ask for information about the exchange rate and any applicable duties and taxes.
Look for a privacy policy. Be sure that you are comfortable with how the company collects, protects, and uses your personal information before you submit any details. Responsible marketers have an "opt-out" policy, which allows you to choose whether your information is shared with third parties.
Ensure the business has a fair and clear process for submitting complaints and/or cancelling orders.
Make sure transactions are secure. Do not enter any financial information if you see a broken-key or open padlock symbol on your Internet browser. This means that the transaction is not secure and could be intercepted by a third party. When the key is complete or the padlock is locked, your browser is indicating a secure transaction.
Remember, unlike secure order forms on a website, e-mail messages are not private. Do not send confidential personal or financial information by e-mail.

Check for endorsement by an association or a quality assurance program. There are several "seals of approval" for websites that confirm the credibility of the company and the website. Avoid spam (unsolicited marketing e-mail) by being careful about disclosing your e-mail address both on and off-line. Check a company's privacy policy to find out whether your e-mail address could be shared with other companies.

Talk to your children about online activities. Instruct them to keep their personal information private unless you approve.

Community Safety