Identity Theft
Back to FAQs
- Destroy all documents containing personal details or bank/credit card account details, before disposing of them. Never throw bank/credit card statements in your dustbin. Invest in a home shredder for as little as £30. Binraiding is a growing problem and an easy way for potential fraudsters to gather useful information about you and your financial situation.
- Retain credit card receipts and securely destroy them before disposal
- Keep personal documents hidden or locked away at home to prevent burglars gaining easy access to them.
- Do not leave personal documents in your vehicle and limit the documents you carry around with you.
- Never disclose your personal identification number (PIN) for your bank or credit cards
- Don't give your online passwords to anyone. All major providers will never contact you and ask for your password.
- Don't share personal information unless you are confident that you know who you are dealing with. Be cautious if you are called by someone claiming to be from a bank, the police or anyone asking for sensitive information such as your date of birth, mother's maiden name, previous addresses, bank details etc. If you are in doubt, don't disclose any information, offer to call them back and verify the telephone number they give to you with the organisation they claim to be representing.
- Request your credit file from Callcredit, Equifax and Experian on a regular basis. If it reveals any suspicious transactions (new accounts, credit searches etc) then contact the lender concerned and ask them for details of the transaction to identify whether it was fraudulent. The credit reference agencies can be contacted on the following numbers:
- Callcredit (08700 601414)
- Equifax (08705 143700)
- Experian (08702 416212)
- If you move house make use of the Royal Mail Redirection service for at least one year and inform your bank/credit card companies of your new address immediately.
- Keep a list of your card numbers and the lost & stolen contact numbers for the relevant companies in one place. Remember to keep the list secure. If you have your purse/wallet stolen, you will have all the details you need to cancel your cards as a matter of urgency. Alternatively join a card protection scheme for peace of mind (most credit card companies will put you in touch with their preferred supplier). For a small annual fee all your bank and credit cards can be logged with them and if you are a victim of theft they will contact all the card suppliers on your behalf.
- If you believe your lost or stolen identity documentation may be misused, you should contact CIFAS - The UK's Fraud Prevention Service, and apply for their Protective Registration Service.
back to top
- Your regular bank or credit card statements fail to appear
- You notice that some of your mail is missing
- Your credit card statement includes charges for items you have not purchased or ordered
- A debt collection agency contacts you about goods you have not ordered or an account you have never opened
- You receive a telephone call or letter saying you have been approved or denied credit for accounts you know nothing about
- Royal Mail write to your address regarding a mail redirection request you did not make.
- Your credit file (from Experian, Equifax or Callcredit) reveals unauthorised activity such as new accounts you did not open, searches by companies you have not dealt with or address links to addresses you have had no connection with. Remember that you will routinely see the records of people with whom you have a financial connection, and possibly other members of your family with the same surname. If you are concerned by any activity on your credit file, report it immediately to the fraud department of the relevant lender.
back to top
If you have been the victim of a mugging or burglary and personal identification documents have been stolen, there is a risk they could be used by a thief to obtain credit or other products and services fraudulently in your name. For an administration fee of £11.75 (£10 plus £1.75 VAT) CIFAS offers a service, provided on their behalf by Equifax, to protect your name and address from being misused in this way.
You may contact Equifax, and request 'Protective Registration'. A CIFAS warning will then be placed against your address marked Category '0' which indicates the individual has been recorded on the CIFAS database at their own request for their protection. CIFAS members when undertaking a search
against your address will see "CIFAS-DO NOT REJECT-REFER FOR VALIDATION", whatever name they search for. They will then contact Equifax to establish the reason for the entry.
As a result of the entry CIFAS members will verify further the identity of applicants, and in some cases request further proof of identification, and this may mean you personally experience delays while your credentials are fully checked out.
To apply for the CIFAS Protective Registration service you will need to contact Equifax. You must supply the following details:
- Your full name
- Your date of birth
- Your full address with postcode
- The names of anyone else living at your address, and their date of birth
- Your home and work telephone numbers including the dialling codes
- A crime reference number if applicable
- Details about why you want a Protective Registration
Once this information is received, the entry will be placed on the database and you will receive confirmation by post. You will also be sent some forms to complete after the registration has been made. You will then be required to send a cheque or supply credit card details for the administration fee. The data will remain on the database for at least a year from the date of the most recent fraudulent activity, but you can request the removal or extension of a Protective Registration by writing to Equifax.
Although Equifax provides this service on behalf of CIFAS, Protective Registrations are automatically passed to the other participating fraud prevention agencies within CIFAS.
To make a registration
click here to download the form, complete and return to the following address
CIFAS
PO Box 1141
Bradford
BD1 5UR
Alternatively you can phone Equifax on 0870 010 2091 (Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm) or send an email to:
protective.registrationuk@equifax.com
back to top
- Contact the lenders/organisations involved immediately and keep a record of all communications and the names of the people you speak to
- Ensure the lenders remove any information about the fraudulent account from your credit file - they may need to delete records from the databases of Experian, Equifax & Callcredit
- Ask the lender to register a CIFAS entry relating to the fraud to help protect you from further fraud
- Report the incident to the police, especially if it involves stolen identification documents, and ask for a crime reference number, or documentation to record the incident
- If a passport or driving licence is stolen or lost, it should be reported immediately
- Report all stolen cheques or cards to the issuers, and request new ones. Follow up telephone calls with written notification. Get new cards, account numbers, and Personal Identification Numbers
- Notify the Post Office if you suspect mail theft - they have an investigations unit who will be able to help
- If you have become a victim of ID fraud, destroy all cheques and cards, close your account and tell your bank you would prefer to open a new one
back to top
Consumer Home
