KEEP YOUR PASSPORT, UTILITY BILLS & BANK STATEMENTS SAFE
Equifax warns of the continuing need to be vigilant as new figures reveal ID Fraud increased in 2006
London 1st February 2007 — According to CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, credit and identity fraud continued to grow in 2006 with a 19.91% increase in the number of people falling victim. These figures are reinforced by leading online instant credit information provider, Equifax. In a survey of Equifax customers, over half of respondents said they were very or fairly concerned about being at risk from ID fraud.
Neil Munroe, External Affairs Director of Equifax and ID Fraud Expert comments “The CIFAS figures show that in 2006 the number of attempted identity frauds identified by their members was up by 21.57%. And whilst there was a 40% increase in the number of attempted ID Frauds detected by CIFAS Members, the fact of the matter is that this unseen crime appears to be on an unstoppable march.
“It is crucial that every adult in the UK takes responsibility for protecting themselves against this crime, particularly as CIFAS identified that the top three documents used by fraudsters were utility bills, passports and bank statements. These are all items that people should be keeping locked up, or shredding when they are no longer needed yet the reality is that often they are not. As last night’s BBC 1 ID Fraud programme showed, many people are very cavalier with their personal details, throwing out a wide variety of documents that would make it very easy for a fraudster to steal their identity.”
The Equifax survey also showed that for those who had become victims of ID fraud, the most common ways in which the fraudsters had obtained their details were through mail interception or mail sent to a previous address (17% and 14% respectively), captured card details at an ATM (15%), the theft of personal belongings (17%), the interception of personal details from the internet (10%) or bin raiding (7%).
Munroe continues, ‘Consumers continue to need reminding that they should always be on their guard when giving out personal information. They should never give it out in response to an unsolicited phone call, they must always shred sensitive documents and should never, never click a link in an e-mail claiming to be from their bank, credit card or any similar organisation. A bank would never contact a customer by email asking them to confirm account details by return email.”
For an interview with Neil Munroe, or for further information, please contact Kate Clements, Claire Foster, Cecile Stearn or Elinor Puzey at HSL on 020 8977 9132 / Fax: 020 8977 5200 or Email: kate@harrisonsadler.com
How to Protect Yourself from ID Fraud Scams
Phishing This is a bogus email, which appears to be sent from an official source – such as your bank or Internet Service Provider. It will ask you to click on a link to update your personal information – such as your name, credit card number, bank account number etc. The link may look genuine, but actually goes straight to the fraudster who can use the information to access your bank account or steal your identity. Sometimes phishing also happens through SPAM – unsolicited email marketing that invites you to take advantage of special offers or enter competitions. How to avoid it:
If you have been a victim:
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Bin-raiding Also known as skipping or, in the USA, dumpster diving. It involves fraudsters rooting through your rubbish to find personal information, including old bank statements, direct mail shots or utility bills. They then use the information to open accounts in your name or as fake documentation when applying for credit. How to avoid it:
What to do if you’ve been a victim:
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Shoulder Surfing This is when a fraudster looks over your shoulder, either when you’re completing forms in a public place or entering your PIN at an ATM or checkout. How to avoid it:
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Pharming You may revisit a website – such as internet banking - that you have bookmarked or stored in favourites. However, you are actually redirected to a bogus website. You unwittingly enter your bank security details, but receive an error message instead of being able to enter your account. The fraudster then has all the details they need to access your bank account, transfer funds or purchase goods online. How to avoid it:
If you have been a victim:
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Deceased Fraud Also known as Day of the Jackal fraud, this is when criminals use the identities of deceased people to carry out fraudulent activity. How to avoid it:
What to do :
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Unsolicited Contact Phone calls claiming to be from banks asking you to update your personal information should be regarded with caution. How to avoid it:
If you have been a victim:
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