Identity Theft is the misappropriation of the identity of another person, without their knowledge or consent and over 27,000 cases* of Identity Theft were reported in the first three months of 2010 alone.
A fraudster can exploit personal information to build a profile and eventually assume the identity of their victim, which can then be used to obtain goods and services in that person's name.
*CIFAS
The type of personal details, documents and records used by fraudsters, include:
- Name
- Address
- Date of Birth
- Utility Bills
- Passport
- Driving Licence
- Birth Certificate
- Bank Details
Fraudsters use a variety of techniques to obtain personal information in order to steal a person's identity. Below are some of the most common ways your identity can be stolen.
- Phishing
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Victims receive an email alleging to be from their bank, a Government body such as Revenue & Customs, a company they do business with or a social networking site; with the intention of extracting personal details. Common subjects for these emails include:
- a request to update security details
- change of password
- technical changes being made to the site
- downloads of anti-virus software
- update of security measures
The emails appear to be very authentic and will ask individuals to click on a link that will take them to authentic looking, but false, "spoof websites" designed to obtain personal details of individuals. The websites will then ask for personal information, such as name, password, bank details, which is then later used by criminals to access their account.
An example of a phishing e-mail is shown below (click for full size):
PROTECT YOURSELF:- Don't click on any of the links in a suspicious email.
- Don't reply to any email you are unsure about.
- Do delete any potential phishing email immediately.
- Do contact your bank if you can not be certain whether an email seemingly from them is genuine.
- Remember, no bank or financial institution will ever ask you to confirm your account number and login details in an email.
See more examples at millersmiles.co.uk.
- Theft
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Burglars, muggers and car thieves are as interested in acquiring personal papers and documents as they are in physical items. Handbags or briefcases can hold valuable sources of information for use in identity fraud.
- Bin raiding
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Criminals will raid rubbish bins in search of useful documents thrown out by unwitting householders. Discarding valuable documents including bank and credit card statements, utility bills etc. can leave you vulnerable to Identify Theft.
- Postal intercepts
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Criminals can intercept your post from individual post boxes. They can also fraudulently redirect your post to another address by contacting organisations to advise them of a change of address.
- House moves
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After moving house, mail which is not redirected is received by the new occupant who can then assume the identity of the previous owner.
- Birth certificates
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Criminals will sometimes obtain the birth certificate of deceased individuals to assume their identity, which they then use to apply for other formal documentation such as driving licences and passports to use in further criminal activity.
- Social engineering
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Criminals manipulate human trust by using a number of tactics to harvest information from potential victims and can make contact in various ways including:
- Telephone calls claiming to be from your bank or a well known company
- Contact via letter or fax requesting bank details
- Bogus canvassing requesting personal details and / or request to take part in surveys
Warning signs that you may have been a victim of ID theft
- Non-delivery of bank & credit card statements.
- Receipt of bills, invoices or receipts addressed to you for goods or services you haven't ordered
- Receipt of letters from debt collection agencies where no genuine debt is owed
- Receipt of letters confirming or denying applications for credit where no genuine application has been made
- Receipt of mail-order goods that have not been genuinely ordered
- Receiving no post at all as some fraudsters re-direct post to another address
10 Tips to help protect your identity
- Don't leave personal papers lying about and don't carry valuable personal information unless it is necessary. Visit www.letskeepcrimedown.direct.gov.uk for more information.
- Destroy, preferably shred, personal documents such as statements and utility bills before disposing of them.
- Keep your card safe. Don't let it out of your sight when paying by Chip and Pin at bars/restaurants etc. and only carry it around with you when it is necessary.
- Memorise your PIN and passwords. These give you extra security and should always be kept to yourself so don't risk them falling into the hands of criminals by writing them down. Northern Rock will never ask you to disclose your full PIN or Online Security password.
- Be sceptical about sharing your details and always be sure that you know who you're dealing with before disclosing your personal and financial details. If you are unsure, play it safe and don't respond. Reputable companies will not pressure you for details. All companies that are authorised to hold your data must be registered with the Information Commissioner's Office, where you can check if a company is genuine on the Data Protection Public Register (www.ico.gov.uk).
- Keep an eye on your account by thoroughly checking your statements for any suspicious transactions as soon as they arrive. Also, check your balance regularly when making withdrawals so that you can raise any suspicions with your bank as soon as possible.
- Make sure your post box is clear from any obstructions so that your post can get through.
- You can remove the details of deceased individuals from mailing lists to reduce the chance of their identity being stolen by registering one with organisations such as The Bereavement Register.
- Familiarise yourself with arrival dates of your bank statements and contact your bank if you do not receive them around those dates.
- Check your credit report with agencies such as Experian (www.experian.co.uk) which will show you any false applications made in your name.
Find out how criminals can use stolen identities to commit fraud on our fraud awareness page.