Identity theft
What is Identity theft?
Identity theft is when a person’s identity is stolen and illegally used by another for their personal gain.
Why are identities stolen?
It could be to obtain an identity document (passport or driving licence), to open or take-over a bank account, apply for a credit card or to gain benefits.
How are identities stolen?
Criminals often use numerous sources and methods to gain information on a person.
- 'Bin Raiding' – theft of personal information taken from items discarded as rubbish, such as bills, bank statements and junk mail.
- 'Phishing' – emails linked to false websites purporting to be the financial institution, in order to gain sensitive information, such as passwords or PIN numbers.
- 'Phone Phishing' – criminals phone individuals pretending to be the bank, asking them to confirm personal details such as date of birth, mother’s maiden name or PIN numbers.
- Theft – personal details from stolen items as a result of a robbery or burglary, for example information held in a stolen wallet.
- Postal Theft – information is stolen from the postal system or from communal areas
- Open sources – information available to all such as on the internet, especially on social networking sites where people often give their full name, address, date of birth, employment details etc.
- Hacking – software is used by criminals to hack into company’s databases or personal computers in order to access personal data
What can you do to prevent becoming victim?
- Keep personal information secure - do not write down or let anyone know your PIN number or passwords. If someone calls you about your personal details or bank accounts, always ring them back through the contact number you would normally use or ask them to give your some reference details that the company would hold. Also, report any stolen or lost identity documents as soon as possible.
- Shred personal documents - destroy anything that contains your personal details (bank statements, bills, envelopes, junk mail). Shred as much as possible. If you are unable to shred documents, tear them up into small pieces.
- Review your financial statements - always regularly look at your financial statements to ensure there are no unknown transactions from your account. Also complete regular credit checks from a credit reference agency to ensure your record is accurate.
- Don’t advertise yourself to become a victim - remove as much personal information as possible from sites on the internet, especially date of birth and addresses.
- Moving house? Remember to redirect your mail - ensure you change your address with all companies and even place a redirect on your post to ensure documentation does not fall into the wrong hands.
- Antivirus Software - always install anti-virus software and a firewall to ensure others cannot access you personal details from your computer.
What do I do if I become a victim?
If you believe you have become a victim of Identity Fraud and you think an account of yours has been defrauded, please contact the bank or building society where your account is held.
If you have received a phishing email, pleae forward it to reports@banksafeonline.org.uk
Where else can I go for information?
Please see the ‘Useful Links’ page.