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16 March 2006
Understanding the problems faced by victims of identity fraud is the purpose of new research.
Identity fraud has risen from around 20,000 cases a year to more than 137,000 in 2005 and home office figures place the cost of identity theft to the British economy at £1.7 billion a year.
The research, commissioned by UK fraud prevention service CIFAS, reveals that victims want police to improve their rates of prosecuting offenders and to see an improvement in the way that organisations deal with cases.
"In the wake of an identity theft case, the victim has to go through a process of proving their innocence and undoing the damage caused to their credit rating," said Professor Martin Gill, who headed the research team.
Among the recommendations put forward by the victims, are that victims should be kept regularly informed about progress of a case and that more information on what to do if you become a victim should be made available to the public.
Identity fraud can damage a victim's credit rating, making it more difficult for them to get loans, mortgages and credit cards, if the matter is not sorted out.
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