www.fellowes.co.uk

PROTECTINGYOUR IDENTITY

A PRACTICAL GUIDE

Item Code: 360754

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When we think of crime we usually think of a physical action or violationagainst a person or a thing such as burglary, mugging or pickpocketing.However, in the twenty-first century, crime is taking a far moresophisticated form. One of the fastest growing crimes is identity theft and it can be perpetrated without the criminals even breaking into your home.In a recent survey conducted by credit reference agency Equifax, over aquarter of respondents claimed they had been or knew someone who hadbeen victims of ID theft or credit card fraud and more than three quarterswere concerned that they may be at risk.

The last official estimate puts the cost of identity fraud at £1.7 billion,according to figures published by the Home Office in February 2006.This practical guide explains what identity fraud is, how your identity can be stolen (identity theft) and the different types of identity fraud that can be committed using your name.

It also offers you some simple steps to protect yourself and your businessfrom becoming a victim, and a guide of what to do if your personal orcompany information is used fraudulently.

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Identity theft occurs when an individual’s or company’s personal orconfidential information is obtained by another person in order to assumetheir identity. Identity theft is the first step to perpetrating a criminalactivity whereby criminals may use personal information to obtain credit,goods or other services fraudulently. This is known as identity fraud.

Identity fraud can involve setting up a bank account in someone else’sname, applying for a credit card or stealing personal details in order tofraudulently obtain goods, services, or other financial advantage. It caneven extend to securing a passport in their name.

Corporate identity theft may include stealing the identity of a companyand fraudulently trading under that name without the knowledge of thelegitimate company.

Introduction 1 What is identity theft and identity fraud? 2How can your identity be stolen? 3What can be done with your stolen identity? 5Preventing identity fraud 6Simple steps for businesses to protect themselves 8It could happen to your business 10How to spot identity fraud 11What to do if you become a victim 12It could happen to you 13Useful contacts 14

Criminals use a mixture of tactics to acquire theinformation needed to steal another’s identity. Theserange from the very crude, such as taking personalinformation from a stolen purse or wallet, goingthrough rubbish, to phishing or stealing somebody’sidentity through online security breaches (See ‘Howcan your Identity be Stolen’ for more information).

Worryingly for the victims of identity theft, they oftendo not realise their identity has been stolen until it istoo late and they start receiving demands for loanrepayments or bills for goods they have notpurchased. In worst case scenarios innocent peoplehave even been arrested for a crime they did notcommit. Luckily most victims of identity fraud willnot suffer financially. However it can take aconsiderable amount of time and effort to put rightthe damage caused (See “How to Detect IDFraud” and “What To Do If You Become aVictim”).

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFTAND IDENTITY FRAUD

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Internet sitesAnybody that uses the Internet will regularly be asked toshare personal information to gain access to websites andbuy goods. Increasingly people are also placing largeamounts of personal information about themselves onsocial networking sites such as Myspace, Bebo andFacebook. Fraudsters can combine the personalinformation you provide to unsecured Internet sites, suchas your mother’s maiden name, with other bits of valuableinformation they glean about you, to obtain credit in yourname.

Mail forwardingBy not asking Royal Mail to redirect your mail when youmove house, fraudsters can receive a wealth of informationabout you delivered direct to their doorstep.Visit www.royalmail.com for more information.

Phishing This term describes identity theft via email. Fraudsters willsend an email claiming to be from a bank, credit cardcompany or other organisation with which you might havea relationship, asking for personal information. Typically theemail will ask you to click on a link to enter your accountdetails on the company’s website to protect against fraudor to avoid your account being deactivated. But if you clickon the link in the email you will be taken to a websitewhich looks genuine, but has in fact been created byfraudsters to trick you into revealing your privateinformation. The fraudsters then use the informationprovided to set about obtaining money from your accounts.

SkimmingThis usually occurs when a shop assistant or waiter, forexample, gets your information by ‘skimming’ or copyingyour credit card information when you make a purchase.They often then sell the information to professional criminalgangs. Like phishing, skimming can be used on its own tocollect enough information to use your card fraudulentlywithout stealing your entire identity.

Theft of wallet or purseThe average purse or wallet contains bank cards, creditcards and valuable identity documents including drivinglicences and membership cards. Victims generally realisevery quickly that their wallet has been stolen but often donot realise the value of the information contained within ituntil it is too late.

Unsolicited contactPhone calls claiming to be from banks asking you toupdate your personal information should be regarded withcaution. Calling the switchboard of the company inquestion and asking to be put through to the person whocalled you will help ensure you are not playing into thehands of fraudsters.

Similarly, fraudsters posing as market researchers may askfor personal information over the phone. Credibleorganisations will not mind you double checking theirauthenticity before providing such information.

Bin raidingFraudsters pay people to go through the rubbish you throwout, looking for bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, and tax information. Everydayinformation that you may not think is important such as oldgas, electricity and telephone bills, insurance documents,bank statements and even personal letters and envelopesthey were sent in, carry valuable personal information thatcan be gathered together to steal an identity.

A 2006 bin raiding survey commissioned by Fellowes forNational Identity Fraud Prevention Week showed that analarming 97% of household waste contained at least oneor more items which could assist fraudsters in stealing anidentity. Even more worryingly, almost half of allhouseholds threw away everything a potential fraudsterwould need to steal a person's identity.

Impersonation of the deceasedRuthless criminals have been known to use the identities ofdeceased people to carry out fraudulent activity. Fraudsterswill look for the age, date of birth and address of deceasedpeople from press announcements relating to the death orthe funeral. However, a change to law through a clause inthe Police and Justice Act 2006 will mean - when it isimplemented - that details of the recently deceased will bereleased to the private sector on a regular basis for fraudprevention purposes.

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In recent years, there has been an explosion of ways to collect, store, share - even steal -personal information about you. Your personal information has become big business and can beinvaluable to an identity fraudster. Your identity can be stolen in any of the following ways:

HOW CAN YOURIDENTITY BE STOLEN

TREND WATCHCurrent Address Fraud On The IncreaseOne of the most disturbing developmentsrevealed in 2007 by CIFAS Quarterly Figures isthe swing away from previous address fraudtowards current address fraud.

Current address fraud is a type of identity fraudwhere the victim lives at the "current address"given on the fraudulent application. Theperpetrator of the fraud is often also resident atthe same property as the victim. In such cases,the fraudster applies for, and uses, products inthe name of the victim whose property theyshare. The fraudster will generally have accessto, or can intercept, the victim's post, for

example where individuals are resident at aproperty that has a communal mailbox withshared access. Other contributory factors tocurrent address fraud can include the abuse ofCompanies House data, data breaches,fraudulent mail redirections and bin raiding.

Previous address fraud is where the fraudstermisappropriates the identity of another personand falsely claims that the victim has recentlychanged address. Due to the short period oftime at the 'new' address any Credit ReferenceAgency (CRA) checks are performed primarilyagainst the 'previous' address where the victimis, in reality, still resident. In suchcircumstances, the fraudster will usually applyin the name of the victim for new products andwill undertake facility takeover fraud from the'new' address.

Surprisingly, one in ten victimsknow the person who stole theiridentity according to a surveyby Equifax. Of the victims whoknew the perpetrator, 19% wererelatives of the victim and 14%were neighbours. Be vigilant atall times, you may not realise itbut your family or friends maywant to be you.

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Avoid auto completeSoftware that offers to remember your personal details to saveyou time when you next fill out a form online should beavoided. While the software itself is not fraudulent, it can makeit easier for thieves to access personal information about you ifthey successfully access your PC.

Be vigilantBeware of anybody who contacts you (e.g. by phone, email, letter,fax, face to face) unexpectedly and asks for personal informationor account details, even if they claim to be from your bank, thepolice or another official organisation like your local council.Ask for their name and a contact number and then check withthe organisation in question before responding back.

Check the URLWhen you are online check the web address of the site youare visiting is spelt correctly, as it is possible to be redirectedto a similarly named site which is actually fraudulent. Betterstill, add the website to your favourites folder so that there canbe no mistake you are going to the correct home page eachtime you log on.

Check your credit report atcredit reference agenciesIt is a good idea to check your credit report regularly to ensureno accounts or credit have been illegally set up in your name.Regular monitoring of your credit report will alert you ifsomeone has been using your identity to obtain credit,

ensuring you can not only rectify your credit report as soon aspossible, but also stop the fraudster in their tracks. You canobtain a copy of your credit report from one of the UK’s threecredit reference agencies (see Useful Contacts). The creditreference agencies also offer subscription monitoring services,which will alert you to any changes to your credit report viaemail or SMS.

Keep your documents safeStore any documents containing personal details, such as yourpassport, driving licence, bank statements or utility bills in asafe place. In addition, limit the number of documents youcarry around with you that contain your personal details. Ifpossible, do not leave personal documents in your vehicle.

Guard your cardsMinimise the information and the number of cards you carry inyour wallet. If you lose a card, contact the fraud division of therelevant credit card company. If you apply for a new credit cardand it doesn't arrive in a reasonable time, contact the issuer.Watch cashiers when you give them your card for a credit cardpurchase and make sure you can see your credit card at alltimes. When you receive a new card, sign it in permanent inkand activate it immediately.

* March 2005

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A fraudster may use your personal information to get a car loan, acquire a phone/ mobilephone service, utility service, or open a bank account in your name. Such situations can beseriously damaging to your credit history, since you may not realise anything is wrong until younotice unfamiliar charges on your monthly bills or statements or - worse still - you receivedemands for payment from a credit card or loan company.

Opening new credit cardaccounts using your name.When they use the creditcards and don't pay the bills,the non-payment will appearon your credit report.

Opening a phone or mobile phone account in your name.

Opening a bank account in your name and writingfraudulent cheques on the account.

Counterfeiting cheques ordebit cards, and draining yourbank account.

Buying cars with loans in your name.

Writing to your credit cardissuer and, pretending to beyou, changing the address onthe account. Statements getsent to the new address, soyou don't realise there's a problem until you checkyour credit report.

By accessing publiclyavailable company recordsfraudsters can change namesof company principals andregistered addresses andthen obtain credit and goodsin the company’s name.

A Populus Poll carried out on behalf of Fellowes showed that 81% of the British public wereconcerned about becoming a victim of identity theft. Additionally, identity theft was ofgreater concern than other crimes like burglary, mugging and pickpocketing.*

Research from credit reference agency Experian reveals that on average it takes 467 daysto discover that you are a victim of identity fraud. By managing your personal informationcarefully, you can substantially reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of identity fraud.The following tips show you how:

WHAT CAN BE DONE WITHYOUR STOLEN IDENTITY

PREVENTING IDENTITY FRAUD

Type of fraud that criminals canperpetrate using your name include:

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Moving house or going away? If you move house, tell your bank, card issuer and of course allother organisations that you deal with immediately, but don’tforget to ask Royal Mail to redirect any mail from your oldaddress to your new one for at least a year. If you're planning tobe away from home for an extended period consider contactingRoyal Mail about their 'Keepsafe' service which will hold yourmail for up to two months, and deliver it to you on your return.Visit www.royalmail.com for more information.

Passwords and PINs According to credit reference agency Equifax, personalinformation such as your date of birth, address and mother’smaiden name is enough information for a fraudster to open bankaccounts, apply for credit cards, loans and much more. Memoriseyour passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs)instead of carrying them with you and NEVER share them withanyone else. Avoid using easily available information like yourmother's maiden name, your birth date, your phone number, or aseries of consecutive numbers and don’t use the same PIN for allyour cards and accounts.

Pay attention to billing cyclesContact creditors immediately if your bills arrive late. A missingbill could mean a fraudster has taken over your credit cardaccount and changed your billing address.

Personal informationWhether on the phone, by mail, or on the Internet, never giveanyone your credit card number or other personal information fora purpose you don't understand. Ask to use other types ofidentifiers when possible.

Protect your postFraudsters may try to redirect your mail without your permission. Ifyou suspect your mail is being stolen or whether a mail redirectionapplication has been made in your name without your knowledgecontact Royal Mail Customer Care on 08457 740 740.

Stay safe onlineBuying a good anti-virus, firewall and anti-spam package willprotect your computer against viruses and any spyware softwarewhich can be used to obtain your personal information. Do notclick on links to go to a website unless you are confident it isgenuine. If you use social networking sites, such as Myspace andFacebook, exercise caution about placing personal informationthat could be used by a criminal to commit fraud in your name.Visit www.getsafeonline.org for more information.

Shred all documentsShredding documents is the best way to ensure that criminalscannot build up a profile based on the information you discard inyour rubbish. Invest in a powerful shredder and make it astandard practice, whether at home or at work, to shred alldocuments containing personal or financial information beforebinning or recycling them. Cross cut shredders provide greatersecurity by cutting paper into small confetti-like particles and alsoreduce bulk waste. Companies such as Fellowes offer affordableshredders for home and office use (see Useful Contacts).

Secure your post If you use a central or communal postal delivery point, such as ina block of flats, make sure your mail is secured until you cancollect it. Consider a lockable postbox and collect your mail assoon as possible. If you have to post any documents that containpersonal details ask at your local post office for advice on themost secure posting method. Visit www.royalmail.com for moreinformation.

Update contact detailsIf you move house or change phone numbers tell all relevantorganisations about the change as soon as possible. Using a mail forwarding service is a good way to make sure all post isredirected to your new home and reduces the risk of yourpersonal information getting into the wrong hands.

Useful numbersKeep a record of the numbers you need to ring if your credit ordebit cards are stolen. You have to cancel your cards as soon aspossible after they have been stolen to make sure they cannot bemisused.

Check Identity Always check the identity of your customers, bothbusinesses and consumers. Credit reference agenciesoffer a wide range of solutions to authenticate and verifythe identity of customers to ensure that they exist and arewho they say they are.

Companies House 1. Check your ‘REGISTERED DETAILS’ (Directors,

Company Secretary and Company Address) atCompanies House. Make sure these are correct andthat they have not been fraudulently changed.

2. File your documents online and sign up for ‘PROOF’ atCompanies House. In January 2005 Companies Houseintroduced ‘PROOF’-a free, password protected onlinesystem for companies to alter their details on theregister. This system is far more secure than theexisting paper record system as no changes can bemade without a company-specific password. (See“Useful Contacts”).

3. Sign up to an ‘alert’ system that will warn you of anychanges to your company details. Companies Houseand all the major credit reference agencies havesuitable subscription systems in place at nominal cost.These will promptly alert you if any changes are madeto your company’s details.

4. Do not rely on Companies House records alone ifdetermining whether to lend goods or service on credit.Companies House is a public record and not a crimeprevention service or credit reference agency. Always satisfy yourself that your customer is legitimate throughadditional means.

Of course, it is not just individuals that can fall foul of identity thieves.Businesses also can be targeted by ruthless criminals. Criminals can thentrade off the back of the real company’s good name to obtain goods andservices on credit from suppliers. This is not the only area of risk.Fraudsters can obtain signatures from public records and attempt to attackcompany bank accounts by purporting to be the signatory on the account.

Companies can put measures in place to make it harder for criminals touse their organisation for criminal activity. Many of the rules that apply to individuals can be adapted to protect companies. Other steps forbusinesses to consider include:

SIMPLE STEPS FORBUSINESSES TO PROTECTTHEMSELVES

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Stuart HoldenStuart, aged 34, had a staggering £22,000 stolenthrough fraudulent means from his business andpersonal bank accounts two years ago.

Stuart runs his own coaching and training company forbusinesses. He had his wallet stolen whilst attending atraining course in Northampton. He left his jacket on theback of his chair throughout the day and when he got upto leave he noticed his jacket felt lighter - and his wallethad been stolen.

Immediately, he called all his banks to put a stop on hiscards, but due to the fact that he was told he did notanswer all the security questions correctly, the banks wereunable to take any action.

Once he returned home, his wife informed Stuart thatsomeone from the council had called earlier that day,claiming they had a returned cheque from a council taxrefund, and were calling to check Stuart’s address. Shegave the caller their address and corrected him when hegot Stuart’s mother’s maiden name wrong.

Stuart’s bank had also called that day. Unable to get incontact with him, they said they would call back later,and reassured his wife that everything was fine.

What in fact had happened was that the criminals hadused the personal information from Stuart’s credit card,driving licence and conversation with his wife, to fakehis identification and fraudulently take £4,000 from hisbusiness card (over the counter from the bank), £300from his bank account, £14,000 from his Visa card,spent £2,500 to buy a video camera and £1,000 in aclothing shop.

The incident was seriously stressful for both Stuart andhis wife and affected their business and personalaccounts. For Stuart, this was a major distraction to hiscoaching and training business, due to the time spenttrying to solve the crime. In total, he experienced four

months of “hell”, trying to get his identity back and sortout the crime. In addition, Stuart had to go away for abusiness trip the day after the incident, and so had toborrow money to fund it. In the end all the money waseventually recovered.

Key piece of advice from Stuart:

“I would advise everyone to never use theirmother’s real maiden name as a securityanswer, as it is just too difficult to keep it asecret. Use something funny or even stupid,call her Posh Spice or Domestos if you haveto. Also, I’ve learnt to leave my driving licenceat home, and to stop carrying all my creditand debits cards with me – you should keepa couple of them at home, just so that youare covered financially if the others are lost.Additionally, you have to be careful with yourpost and any other documents that containpersonal information, try and get in the habitof shredding, it’s essential!”

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOUR BUSINESS

Company bank accountsDo not allow details of the main company account to be in thepublic domain where fraudsters may obtain sufficient detail tofacilitate an attack on the account through impersonating thesignatories.

Document proceduresHaving a well formulated document disposal policy in place,and adhering to it, is the first crucial step in protecting yourbusiness and employees from identity fraud.

Store sensitive documents Lock away sensitive documents in a safe place and limitaccess to these documents to the staff who really needthem. Fellowes has produced an R-Kive RecordManagement handbook detailing how companies can storesensitive information safely, which offers useful tips andhints, including legal requirements relating to documentretention. (See “Useful Contacts”).

Limit access Make sure that only key members of staff have access tohighly sensitive documents, to ensure that information is notfalling into the wrong hands.

Shred all documentsBusinesses have a duty of care to protect their customers’and employees’ information and a legal obligation underthe Data Protection Act. Shredding information is the bestway to dispose of documents securely and to ensure thatcriminals cannot gain access to sensitive company detailsfraudulently. Cross cut shredders provide greater securityby cutting paper into small confetti-like particles and alsoreduce bulk waste. Companies such as Fellowes offerpowerful office shredders which can destroy largequantities of paper as well as CDs. (See “Useful Contacts”).

Inform staff Informing staff about the risks of corporate identity fraudwill ensure that they remain vigilant. Ensure your documentdisposal policy is communicated to all employees. Cautionthem about the risk of giving out company informationonline or over the phone without first checking to whomthey are giving the information.

Reduce the risk of electronic hijackingBusinesses must be responsible for ensuring that firewall and anti virus software is kept up-to-date.This way staff can securely open legitimate email attachments for viewing.

Employee vigilance Most employers store personal data relating to their staff. As an employee:

Double check that yourrecords are kept in asecure location.

Find out who hasaccess to your detailsat work – they shouldonly be accessed byother employees forlegitimate reasons.

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Contact your bank and credit card companiesIdentity fraud involving the use of plastic cards (such as creditand debit cards), online banking, or cheques, should bereported directly to the financial institution concerned. Yourbank, for example, is now responsible for undertaking furtherverification and investigation, and where appropriate will reportit to the police for investigation following a change in reportingprocedures.

These changes were introduced by the Home Office on 1 April2007, following discussion with the Association of Chief PoliceOfficers (ACPO) and the financial sector, to reduce the level ofbureaucracy involved in fraud recording, and to streamline thereporting and initial investigation of such frauds.

Contact a credit reference agencyContact an accredited credit reference agency such asCallcredit, Equifax or Experian and follow their advice andguidance to resolve the situation and prevent it happeningagain. See Useful Contacts for more information.

Protective Registrationfrom CIFASContact CIFAS, the UK's Fraud Prevention Service, and file aProtective Registration notice on your credit file. This will flagto potential lenders that you have been a victim of identityfraud and greater security measures will be taken to ensurethat any further application for credit is genuine. (See UsefulContacts).

Freeze fraudulent accountsContact the appropriate creditors, banks, phone companies,and utility companies and have them freeze the accounts. Youmay be liable for only £50 of the fraudulent charges, butdifferent issuers have different policies. Most creditorspromptly issue replacement cards with new account numbers.

Keep a recordBecause recovering from identity theft can sometimes be along and complicated process, it's important to keep a recordof all communications. Send all letters by registered mail andkeep copies. If you think your case might lead to a lawsuit,keep track of how much time you spend dealing with theproblem.

Monitor billing cyclesA missing bill or bank statement could mean someonehas taken over your credit card account and changedyour billing address or intercepted your mail. Keep a noteof the date you expect bank statements, new cards andutility bills to arrive and contact the relevant parties ifthey are late.

Check your statementsReview bank and credit card statements and keep aneye out for unusual transactions you do not immediatelyrecognise. Do not be afraid to follow up with your bankor credit card company to see if they can provide moreinformation about the transaction if you think it lookssuspicious.

Monitor your credit reportUnless you check and monitor your credit reportfrequently with a company like Callcredit, Equifax orExperian to ensure they are up to date and accurate,there is often no way to tell if identity thieves have usedyour personal information to open credit accounts orother services in your name.

Refusal of CreditIf you are unexpectedly refused credit for goods orservices despite having a good credit rating this maymean someone has taken out credit in your name.

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The best way to spot identity fraud early is to stay vigilant. Monitor your accounts and creditagreements closely as nobody knows your financial habits, or is better equipped to spot fraudulentactivity, than you. The following are useful tips to help you spot fraud as soon as it happens:

If you suspect that someone has used your name, or other personalinformation to get credit or a loan, the following steps can help:

HOW TO SPOTIDENTITY FRAUD

WHAT TO DO IF YOUBECOME A VICTIM

If you have information about acrime, contact CrimestoppersCrimestoppers has been operating its 0800 555111 phone number in the UK since 1988,allowing people to phone in anonymously withinformation about criminals or crimes which arethen passed on to the police.

Current/present address fraud accounted foralmost half of all identity fraud cases reportedto Experian in the second half of 2006.

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Samantha Green

Samantha and her husband were both victims of identity fraudin 2005. Samantha, 36 years old, became aware of the fact thather identity had been stolen when she tried to withdraw moneyfrom her bank account – they refused claiming she was overher credit limit.

After checking her statements, Samantha noticed a number offraudulent transactions made from her bank account on variousInternet shopping sites. Samantha contacted these sites butthey were unable to provide her with any information regardingthese transactions because of the Data Protection Act.Samantha reported the fraudulent transactions to her bank,who reassured her that she need not worry as they would be dealing with it.

Later that month, Samantha's husband received an urgentmessage from his credit card company, who informed himsomeone had been using his card in Australia and the UnitedStates, but that they had put a stop on it. This was not the endthough, as Samantha and her husband were told later thatmonth that their business card had a total of £3,000 worth offraudulent transactions made on it - all over the Internet.

In total, nearly £4,000 had been taken from the Greens. Interms of the impact of their lives, it was an immensely stressfulperiod, and trying to reclaim their identity proved equally taxing.This also meant that Samantha was unable to buy her currencyonline before going on holiday and all her standing orders hadbeen cancelled, which meant she was being chased for unpaidbills. Both Samantha and her husband had to use cash to payfor everything.

Key piece of advice from Samantha:

“Make sure you take extra care when you areshopping online or doing Internet banking, as youshould never save any of your details on the sites.I have also begun to shred anything with personaldetails. I’ve learnt my lesson to be more vigilantwhen it comes to my identity.”

Jonathan Evans

Jonathan Evans, 40, had £9,000 taken out of his account bycriminals. Jonathan suspects that the criminals got hold of hisdetails from a number of statements he threw away the weekprior to the identity fraud. Using Jonathan’s bank accountdetails, the fraudsters called his bank to change his mailingaddress. They then requested a new debit card and PIN to besent to the new address. The criminals transferred £9,000 outof his bank account. Luckily, Jonathan spotted this transfer twodays later, and reported it to his bank. The bank investigated theclaim, and returned the money after two weeks.

Jonathan now has to answer extra security questions in order to get information on all his accounts.

However, the impact of having his identity stolen meant that hewas unable to do any online shopping or banking for a month.Just two months ago, the same bank was sent a fraudulent letterasking for Jonathan’s address to be changed. It seemed thecriminals were not stopping there, as another bank informedJonathan the following month that someone had attempted toopen a new account in his name online. The only reason why thiswas detected was because an unknown address has beenentered.

Jonathan is now very careful of disposing of his letters, makingsure he shreds anything with his name and address or personaldetails, and also makes sure all his accounts are monitored.

Key piece of advice from Jonathan:

“Always be aware of what transactions are goingthrough your account, even if that means savingevery single receipt you have. Straight after theincident I bought a shredder so that I could get rid ofmy letters safely. After having my identity targetedthree times I became very cautious, but nowbecause I shred everything I can throw away mymail with peace of mind. Another thing I have foundvery useful is to check my credit rating on a regularbasis. This way you are made aware of any otheraddresses or accounts that are linked to you.”

APACS - THE UK PAYMENTS ASSOCIATIONwww.apacs.org.ukTel: 020 7711 6200

BRITISH BANKERS' ASSOCIATIONwww.bba.org.uk

CALLCREDIT LTDwww.callcredit.co.ukTel: 0870 060 1414

CIFAS - THE UK'S FRAUD PREVENTION SERVICEwww.cifas.org.uk

CIFAS PROTECTIVE REGISTRATION SERVICE (PROVIDED BY EQUIFAX)Email: protective.registrationuk@equifax.comTel: 0870 010 2091

CITY OF LONDON POLICEFRAUD DESKEmail:frauddesk@cityoflondon.pnn.police.ukTel: 020 7601 6999

DVLAwww.dvla.gov.ukTel: 0870 240 0009

EQUIFAX PLCwww.equifax.co.ukTel: 0870 010 0583

EXPERIAN LTDwww.experian.co.ukTel: 0870 241 6212

FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSESwww.fsb.org.ukTel: 020 7592 8100

FELLOWESwww.fellowes.co.ukFreephone 00 800 1810 1810

FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITYwww.fsa.gov.ukTel: 08457 300 104

GET SAFE ONLINEwww.getsafeonline.org

HM REVENUE & CUSTOMSwww.hmrc.gov.uk

IDENTITY AND PASSPORT SERVICEwww.ips.gov.ukTel: 0870 521 0410

METROPOLITAN POLICEECONOMIC AND SPECIALIST CRIMECOMMANDwww.met.police.uk/fraudalert

ROYAL MAILwww.royalmail.comTel: 08457 740 740

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

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USEFULCONTACTS

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