Identity fraud reaches record levels – we reveal the regions where the number of victims are soaring
A growing number of young people are falling victim to identity theft
IDENTITY fraud is at its highest level in 13 years ago, with almost 173,000 recorded frauds last year.
Almost 25,000 victims of fraud were under the age of 30, and the number of under-21 victims rose by 34 per cent between 2015-16.
According to data by Cifas, the UK’s fraud prevention service, identity fraud is at its highest level since records began 13 years ago.
Identity fraud now represents more than half of all fraud recorded by Cifas, and 88 per cent of the fraud occurs online.
Cases of identity fraud are highest in the east Midlands, with 1,569 more cases reported in the region between 2015-16 - a 20 per cent increase.
The north east, west midlands and the south west are also regions with high numbers of identity theft cases, while the east and London saw a drop in cases last year.
Mike Haley, deputy chief executive of Cifas, said: “These new figures show that identity fraud continues to be the number one fraud threat.
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“We all remember to protect our possessions through locking our house or flat or car but we don’t take the same care to protect our most important asset – our identities.
"We all need to take responsibility to secure our mail boxes, shred our important documents like bank statements and utility bills, and take sensible precautions online.”
Commander Chris Greany, national co-ordinator for economic crime added: "Things like weak passwords or not updating your software are the same as leaving a window or door unlocked.”
How does identity fraud happen?
The vast majority of identity fraud happens when a criminal pretends to be someone else to buy a product or take out a loan in their name.
Often victims don't even realise they have been targeted until a bill arrives for something they did not buy, or when they experience problems with their credit rating.
In fact, data from credit rating agency Experian shows that it takes an average of 292 days for people to discover their information has been used by online fraudsters.
To carry out this kind of fraud successfully, fraudsters need access to someone's personal information, such as name, date of birth, address, their bank and who they hold accounts with.
Fraudsters get hold of this information in a number of ways, from stealing someone's mail, rifling through their bins, or through hacking.
Criminals will often obtain a person's data on the "dark web", by exploiting personal information on social media, or by encouraging someone to give up personal information by pretending to be from their bank, the police or a trusted retailer.
Three steps to protect yourself from identity theft
THERE are three simple steps that anyone can take to protect themselves from identity theft.
- Use strong passwords for online accounts, whether it's for your online banking or social media accout
- Download software updates when prompted on your devices to ensure everything is up-to-date
- Avoid using public wi-fi for banking and online shopping
Barry Scott of cyber-security firm Centrify, said: "All age groups are at risk, but it’s clear that a generation born into mobile phones and social media are much more likely to share information, often highly confidential personal details, on social media sites and messaging apps.
"We need to get away from this mentality of sharing everything with everyone. Habits formed in our personal lives are often taken into the workplace – and password sharing in the workplace is a serious problem.”
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