As new research reveals that 79 percent of Britons are still being careless with their personal details, an group of public and private sector partners have come together to support the U.K.'s largest identity fraud (theft) awareness drive. The campaign aims to educate consumers and businesses as to the dangers of identity fraud, and the preventative steps that could --and should -- be taken.
Despite continuing efforts to combat identity fraud -- still one of the U.K.'s fastest growing crimes -- a poll commissioned for the campaign showed that three quarters of U.K. adults have now been personally affected, or have friends and family who have been affected, by identity fraud. Furthermore, 80 percent of Britons fear having their identity stolen. National bin-raiding research reveals why:
- Over 19 million households regularly place sensitive materials in their waste and recycling bins.
- 11 percent throw away whole credit/debit card numbers -- a combination of a complete card number with its associated expiration date and owner's signature was found in the waste and recycling of 13 percent of households.
- A third of Britons are still throwing away everything a fraudster needs to steal a person's identity, including passports, driving licenses, phone and utility bills.
Residents of Glasgow, Scotland, fared worst in this study -- in one week, 82 percent of households had disposed of material that could have been used by a fraudster. London's (Wandsworth) residents followed closely behind (74 percent had disposed of material that contained such sensitive material). The most responsible behavior patterns were seen in Birmingham (62 percent) and Cardiff (69 percent).
Research carried out for National Identity Fraud Prevention Week shows that the wealthiest and most creditworthy sections of society are at the greatest risk, with fraudsters increasingly launching premeditated and sophisticated attacks. However, while wealth and lifestyle can make top-salaried and affluent individuals more likely to be targeted, those renting are also at high risk. Graduates and young professionals are among those most at risk, as are council tenants. Individuals and businesses are also increasingly at risk online, where the dangers for fraudsters are lower.
Targeting consumers
There are several ways ID fraudsters may potentially target consumers. These include: good old fashioned theft of personal documents or security information; stealing mail from communal hallways; using mail which has not been redirected after someone has moved; duping consumers to disclose personal details online; or bin raiding (dumpster diving).
ID fraudsters need more than one single piece of information or documentation to steal an identity. Whilst an address, postcode, driving license, passport, national insurance number or even a utility bill are not necessarily useful to a fraudster in isolation, collectively they are as valuable as cash to the ID fraudster, so they need to be stored securely or disposed with care.
