What to do if you are victim of identity fraud
Identity fraud is now a huge problem. Identity thieves will steal details such as your name, address and date of birth and use these for their own financial gain. The result can be extremely damaging – you may struggle to obtain finance and spend months rectifying the problems that have been caused.
There are steps you can take to help protect your identity and actions you can take if your identity is stolen.
Steps to take if you become a victim of identity fraud
- If you have had items stolen such as credit or debit cards, driving licence or passport, take immediate steps to get these cancelled and replaced. The sooner you react, the less damage can be done
- Check your bank and credit card statements and challenge any transactions you don’t believe you made yourself
- Get copies of your credit report and check for the following:
- Credit accounts that you haven’t opened
- Credit applications that you haven’t made
- Links to addresses or names that you have no connection with
- Any court judgments or other entries that you have no knowledge of
- Contact the credit reference agency/ies in respect of any entries you believe are the result of fraud. They will:
- Mark any entries you question as being disputed
- Contact the lenders who have added the entries to your credit report and ask whether these should be removed
- Give you the option of adding a statement, called a Notice of Correction to your report. This can be used to add a password to your credit report which should be requested by any lender receiving a credit application in your name in the future. It can also be used to let lenders know about any items that have been stolen and to tell them not to accept these as proof of your identity in the future
- Tell the other credit reference agencies that you have been a victim of identity fraud and they will contact you
- Contact the lenders yourself. The credit reference agencies will contact them too but a two-pronged approach may speed things up and some companies will want to speak to you themselves.
- Contact CIFAS and request Protective Registration. For more information, click here: http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=565-85
This will add a marker to your credit file which will mean that members of CIFAS will make extra checks to verify your identity if they receive an application in your name.
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Things to bear in mind
- When contacting organisations expect to provide proof that you are who you say you are. They will want to prevent any future fraud and need to make sure that they are not being contacted by someone who is just trying to get a genuine debt removed.
- Be persistent. Resolving the problems created by identity fraud can take time.
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How to stop it happening
However careful you are with your identity there is always a risk that it will be stolen. Fraudsters are increasingly sophisticated and will find different ways to obtain people’s details. It does make sense to be cautious and take steps to prevent your identity falling into the wrong hands
These are some of the steps you can take:
- Check your bank and credit card statements regularly and look for any transactions that you haven’t made
- Regularly obtain your credit report and look for any applications that you haven’t made or accounts that you haven’t opened. Check that all the addresses listed are addresses you have lived at or been connected with
- Make sure you are registered on the electoral roll at the correct address and that your name is “closed off” on the electoral roll at previous addresses. Move your credit history to your present address wherever possible – don’t leave active or dormant accounts recorded at your previous address. Fraudsters may use these to assume your identity at your previous address
- Moving address can put you in a vulnerable position – different people may have access to your previous address. Make sure you redirect your post. www.royalmail.co.uk
- If you stop receiving post, contact the Post Office and make sure nobody has placed a postal redirect on your address
- Securely dispose of documents which include your personal details – use a shredder
- Lock away personal documents – burglars are increasingly looking for these so that they can sell on or use your identity
- Do not provide personal details unless you know who you are providing them to. Be careful if you receive phone calls asking for details
- Make sure any websites you are using are secure when providing personal details
- Use computer virus software and keep it up to date. Install a firewall on your computer
- Protect PIN numbers and passwords. Avoid writing them down and never keep your PIN number with the card it relates to
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