Identity Fraud


Identity fraud is now one of the fastest growing areas of crime with more than one in four people claiming that they have either been a victim themselves, or know someone who has. Recent Home Office figures suggest that it is currently costing in excess of £1.7 billion, or £35 per adult, annually and is rising every year. So what is identity fraud and what steps can you take to prevent it from happening to you?


Identity theft is the appropriation of an individual's personal information, which can then be used to fraudulently obtain goods, loans, credit, employment and mortgages. Any personal information such as your bank details, utility bills, national insurance number, or even something as innocuous as your date-of-birth, can be enough to obtain goods and services in your name. Although personal banking details are one of the most common things criminals look for, your identity can also be stolen via your passport, your driving license or utility bills.


Moving home poses the biggest single risk of falling victim to identity fraud. While most of us are aware of the importance of informing everyone – from banks and doctors to utility suppliers and dentist – our new address; and the potential risk of fraud should bank statements and the like fall into the wrong hands, junk mail is often overlooked. An increasingly common occurrence is whereby credit card companies and financial organisations send out promotional finance agreements in your name with pre-approved credit details. These – commonly disregarded by householders as junk mail – are ideal fodder for criminals looking to obtain money and credit.


Moveme.com is one of the few organisations to address this growing problem through its MovePlanner ™ that enables users to remove names and address off mailing lists from both current and new address, thereby preventing any direct mail with pre-filled personal information being sent. The MovePlanner streamlines the moving process by providing users with practical advice on how and when to inform all suppliers and third parties of their change of address.


The consequences of identity theft can be severe and far-reaching. Not only the cost (in time and money) of resolving the issue but also the strain of having a bad credit rating – which you might only discover after a loan or mortgage is refused. There’s also the possibility that you may be subjected to unwarranted court resulting in the possibility of erroneous county court judgements being issued.


There are many, often increasingly ingenious, ways that criminals are committing identity fraud but the most common means enabling them to obtain the necessary information remain:


  • Bin raiding – fraudsters retrieve documents such as bank statements, utility bills or even junk mail that you have thrown away and use it to apply for credit in your name.

  • Moving house – mail still delivered to your old address can be opened and your personal details used for a range of deceptions, including setting up finance agreements in your name.

  • Phishing – Fraudulent e-mails pretending to be from your bank asking for your account details.

  • Social engineering – revealing personal information inadvertently through cold calling scams.


The good news is that the risk of identity fraud can be greatly reduced by taking just a few cautionary steps.

  • When moving house, sign up to moveme.com to ensure that banks etc and are all aware of your change of address.

  • Have your information erased from marketing lists.

  • Keep important personal documents (including passports, birth certificates, driving licence, plastic cards, cheque books, card receipts, financial statements and even utility bills) in a safe and secure place. Keep chequebooks and cards separately.

  • Don’t divulge personal information unless you are entirely confident you know who you are dealing with.

  • Get rid of old financial statements, card receipts and other personal documents either through ripping up into small pieces or, preferably, shredding them.

  • Always check bank statements and receipts against your statements carefully. If you find an unfamiliar transaction contact your card company or bank immediately.

  • Be aware that your post is valuable information in the wrong hands. If you fail to receive a bank statement, card statement, utility bill or other financial information contact the supplier.