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ID Theft Tips

With a few preventative measures outlined in the 4 areas below you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft:

Prevention in the home

The post is a source of valuable information for a criminal, but there are ways in which the risk of someone stealing personal information from your mail can be significantly reduced:

  • Make sure that you always use your full and accurate address including postcode for all correspondence. This will minimise the risk of your mail going astray.
  • If you move home Royal Mail can re-direct your mail for up to 12 months. For details go to www.royalmail.com.
  • If you are going away, arrange for Royal Mail to hold your mail for you.

Account Takeover is a type of fraud that can be used by criminals. This is where fraudsters take over one or more of a person's existing accounts, eg. a credit card or bank account, and spend money on this account.

Some tips to try to avoid this are:

  • When making an online shoping transaction, make sure the padlock or the HTTPS appears on the web page guaranteeing your details are kept secure.
  • When making purchases, don't let staff take your debit/credit card out of sight, even for a second.
  • Check you receipts against your statements. 

 

 Prevention while abroad

Remember an identity thief can strike anywhere in the world:

  • Once youve arrived at your destination ensure that your passport and other identifying documents are stored in a secure place, ideally a lockable safe or security box.
  • If you need to take credit cards away with you, make sure you make a note of the providers contact details and try and make sure you keep the card safe at all times.
  • Pickpockets and thieves tend to target those who look lost or in need of assistance so try to act in a confident manner, even if you are lost and keep your purse out of sight.

 Prevention online

  • Check the validity of a website before you enter any personal details. There should be a padlock symbol on the screen and the website address should begin https:// (The s signifies secure).
  • Never reveal personal information in response to an email.
  • Dont open spam emails, sometimes they contain files that indicate if it is an active address. Similarly, if you open an email that offers you the chance to unsubscribe, dont reply unless it is from a trusted source.
  • Never open an email from an unknown source.
  • If you are suspicious of a link, type in the URL yourself clever criminals can disguise their website addresses.
  • Avoid using obvious passwords e.g. mothers maiden name. Use a mix of numbers and letters.

 Prevention on the high street

There are plenty of distractions on the street, at the shop counter and at ATMs:

  • Always carry the bare minimum with you. Only take the plastic cards with you that you need and dont carry your chequebook with your cards.
  • At the ATM, if there is someone acting suspiciously nearby or if something looks different or unfamiliar, find another cash point.
  • When using a Chip & PIN card at a point of sale, ensure no one can see the PIN number you enter.

Skimming a credit or bank card involves swiping it through a reader, which takes the information from your card. This can then be used by a fraudster to create a fake card. Always keep your card in sight when making a payment and look out for any suspicious devices if using your card at an ATM.