| Credit fraud has always existed to some degree, but | | | | publish electoral roll details such as It really is worth |
| with the advent of the internet, there has been an | | | | thinking about removing your personal details from |
| unprecedented level of awareness and consumer | | | | such sites, or at least weighing up the risks and the |
| concern about falling victim to identity theft. Almost | | | | benefits of subscribing to social networking sites, in |
| every day 'phishing' emails - which pretend to come | | | | particular to ration critical information such as place of |
| from banks - try to extract passwords and personal | | | | birth. Any identity fraud criminal, based anywhere in the |
| details from consumers. | | | | World, can lawfully obtain a birth certificate from a |
| Most people know that an unprotected PC can be | | | | government website, armed with your place of birth. |
| disabled by viruses and Trojans within hours and install | | | | Many consumers don't realise that identity theft is |
| antivirus software to protect it, but not everyone | | | | routinely used by drug smugglers, people traffickers, |
| remembers to keep the antivirus software up to date. | | | | prostitution racketeers and in other forms of serious |
| Tightening up on internet security is absolutely essential | | | | crime. Most believe that the main issue arising from |
| as a first defence to identity theft attempts. As an | | | | identity theft is credit fraud, where credit is obtained by |
| alarm system, it's equally sensible to use a credit report | | | | impersonation. Many loans and credit cards can be |
| monitoring service, to ensure that a consumer can | | | | obtained without ever having a face-to-face meeting |
| quickly identify any unexpected credit check being | | | | with the service provider. And credit fraud is where |
| made against them, or any new account being opened | | | | consumers appear to have the greatest fear of falling |
| without their knowledge. This is often the first sign that | | | | victim to identity theft. |
| identity theft has been committed. What is often not | | | | Once upon a time, credit reports were only sought by |
| understood is that effective internet security and | | | | those who were declined credit, and were delivered |
| annual credit report monitoring is available completely | | | | slowly by mail. Nowadays, anyone can request a |
| free to UK consumers. | | | | personal credit check and this can be obtained more |
| We're in an era where fear of falling victim to identity | | | | securely and instantly online. By obtaining an annual |
| fraud is at an all time high but by educating consumers | | | | credit report which now can be obtained entirely for |
| and businesses, the risks can be much reduced, and | | | | free and, importantly, without having to disclose your |
| the ways of protecting ourselves can all be had for | | | | card details, it is easy to spot any suspicious activities |
| free. | | | | or irregularities. |
| To identify potential victims of identity theft, criminals | | | | An annual credit report will quickly reveal signs of |
| are often reported to search through rubbish bins or to | | | | attempted and successful credit fraud. It will show |
| abuse the public availability of electoral roll registers | | | | searches being made in relation to applications for |
| and analysing them for names and addresses of | | | | credit in your name, changes of address and any new |
| those identities they would like to steal. | | | | accounts opened. One free annual credit report |
| In reality criminals don't need to get their hands dirty or | | | | service also offers free specialised identity theft |
| even leave their homes to commit identity theft. They | | | | prevention and assistance services to help you stay |
| only have to look on social networking websites such | | | | safe, alongside, providing independent and expert |
| as Friends Reunited and track down the addresses of | | | | advice. |
| potential identity theft victims using websites that | | | | |