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The phenomenon commonly known as identity theft (or identity fraud) is the fastest growing crime in the UK with over 200,000 of you becoming victim during 2007. But rest assured, there is help and advice available if you believe that you've been one of the unlucky victims.
What Can I do if I have been a Victim of Fraud?
Step 1: Find out exactly which products/services have been opened and applied for in your name
You can do this by applying for a copy of your credit report. All accounts or products applied for will be clearly available for you to see.
If you haven't already obtained a copy of your credit report, you should do this right away. You can get a Free Credit Report by signing up for a 30-day trial of the CreditExpert Monitoring service. As well as being able to see your credit report, this service could also help to prevent any further fraud, as you will receive an alert if any changes occur to your credit report.
Step 2: Inform the relevant companies and contact the police
Once you have received your credit report and have located the fraudulent accounts that have been opened in your name, you should contact the companies concerned to let them know that you believe that your identity has been compromised.
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You should also contact the companies with whom applications have been made. A footprint of the application will appear within your credit report. If the application was successful, the account might be in the opening process and may not appear on your credit report. The contact details for these companies will be located within your credit report. They will let you know if you need to report the matter to the police to obtain a crime reference number.
You won't normally be liable for debts built up by a fraudster using your identity, but it is down to you as the victim to sort out the mess caused by them.
Step 3: Protect yourself from further fraud
Register with CIFAS, the UK's Fraud Prevention Agency. They can set up a Protective Registration in your name, and every time an application is made in your name, the company should ask the applicant for a password and/or ID documents to support the application made.
There is much more information detailing measures you should take to protect yourself further in our article I'm concerned about becoming a Victim of Fraud – What Can I do to Protect Myself? (Part 2).
Recommended Resources for Victims of Fraud
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