Identity theft
Identity theft
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is where criminals find out your personal details
and use them to open bank accounts and get credit cards, loans,
state benefits and documents such as passports in your name. If
your identity has been stolen, you may have difficulty getting
loans and credit cards, etc, until the matter has been resolved.
Research has shown that it could be as long as 18 months before a
victim becomes aware of their identity having been
compromised.
Things to look out for:
- Receiving no post at all.
- Post expected from your bank has not arrived.
- You receive bills, invoices or receipts addressed to you for goods you haven't asked for.
- You have received letters from solicitors or debt collectors for debts that aren't yours.
- A mobile-phone contract has been set up in your name without your knowledge.
In today's world computers and other digital devices store the
most personal and private information about us. Account numbers,
credit card details, tax return information and many other forms of
data would prove invaluable to the identity theft criminal.
How to protect yourself:
- Keep your personal documents in a safe place, preferably in a lockable drawer or cabinet at home.
- Destroy your unwanted documents using a shredder e.g. bank statements, receipts, unwanted post.
- Never give personal or account details to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. Be aware that a bank will never ask for your PIN or for a whole security number or password.
- Never carry documents or plastic cards unnecessarily. When not in use keep them in a safe place.
- Take care when disposing of or recycling computer equipment remembering that it is sometimes possible to recover this data.
For more information, please refer to the links opposite.