Are You Protecting Yourself From Identity Fraud?
Identity Fraud is one of the UK’s fastest growing crimes, costing the nation over £1.7 billion a year affecting both individuals and companies. According to a WHICH? Survey, identity fraud affects 25% of the population* and is at best inconvenient for it’s victims, at worst life-shattering. Fraudsters can wreck your company image and credit rating from just the contents of your bin.
77% of bins contain one or more pieces of information that can be used by fraudsters to steal your personal or company identity.**
Don’t let fraudsters steal your identity - shred all documents that contain your personal, company or financial information - such as credit card receipts, invoices, utility bills, bank statements and even junk mailing before you throw them out.
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National Identity Fraud Prevention Week is aimed at raising the awareness and to help you and your business against identity fraud. Fellowes, the Metropolitan Police, Crimestoppers, Cifas, Callcredit, Equifax, Experian and the Federation of Small Businesses have joined forces to launch this nationwide initiative.
Here's some quick facts and figures about how identity fraud is affecting us:
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42% of UK businesses do not have a fully documented policy on the destruction of information. ***
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33%of financial companies do not have a proper policy in place for the secure disposal of key information and are the least up-to-date on Data Protection legislation ***
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25%* of compainies in the healthcare sector still do not have a proper policy in place for the secure disposal of key information.
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A quarter of the UK population has been or believe they know somebody who has been a victim of identity fraud and over two thirds are concerned that they may be at risk, according to a recent survey.
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The research also revealed that a friend, ex-partner or old flatmate is just as likely to steal an identity as is a stranger. Over a quarter of victims of identity fraud say that they knew the person who perpetrated the fraud.
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Personal information such as your date of birth, address, mother’s maiden name and passwords are now as valuable as money. This is enough information for a fraudster to open bank accounts, apply for credit cards, loans and much more.
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Identity fraud is a silent crime and most people won’t realise that they have been a victim for up to a year or until they apply for credit.
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It can take up to 300 hours of frustrating phone calls to deal with banks, credit card companies and other lenders if you have been a victim, incurring enormous personal time, effort and cost, so prevention is definitely better than cure.
For more information on how to protect your identity or advice if you have been a victim of identity fraud visit:
www.stop-idfraud.co.uk - the one-stop identity fraud prevention website.
* A WHICH? report found that 1 in 4 people has been or believed they knew someone who has been a victim of ID Fraud.
** Bin research by MEL in 2005 commisioned by Fellowes.
*** Results from research undertaken by Coleman Parkes.
