ID Fraud Affects 25% Of Britons

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03-Mar-2005

A Which? magazine survey has revealed 1 in every 4 Britons has been 'touched' by ID fraud.

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According to the UK consumer watchdog Which?, 25% of UK adults have had their identity stolen or know someone who has been affected by identity fraud.

The survey also reveals the alarming fact that only 1 in every 3 people shred bills, or safely dispose of them and use different passwords for their accounts.

Identity theft is one of the UK's fastest growing crimes. It is estimated that ID criminals defrauded Britons out of £1.3bn last year alone.

The consumer survey also demonstrated significant support for identity cards among the British public with 7 out of every 10 people supporting them as an anti-fraud measure.

Which decided to show the ease with which identities can be stolen.

As a BBC article on the report explains, "By accessing public documents and posing as the volunteer, the researcher managed to get hold of the volunteer's birth certificate, mother's maiden name, place of birth, mortgage details and even how often they went to the gym."

Which? advises consumers to regularly check their online and offline bank accounts and take care when disposing of sensitive financial information

Source: BBC

MillerSmiles News

03/03/05

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