Brits don’t know how to detect ID theft
June 27, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Credit-Cards
Almost all of us are aware that ID theft is a problem in the UK but worryingly, 42 million of us do not know how to check if we have been targeted.
New research by Capital One reveals that large numbers of us are clueless about how to discover if we have become a victim of the crime and only ten per cent know what action to take if our ID has been stolen.
“It is concerning how many people we asked had no idea how to tell if their ID had been stolen, or what to do about it if they had unfortunately become a victim,” said Sanjiv Yajnik, principal managing director at Capital One.
“The tell-tale signs of ID theft often include unexplained items appearing on bank and credit card statements, receipt of bills and receipts of goods or services you haven’t asked for, being told you are already claiming state benefits you weren’t aware of or being refused a financial service despite having a good credit history.”
The study found that 99 per cent are aware of what ID theft is and 41 per cent are concerned that they will become a victim.
However, despite this, millions of Britons fail to take precautionary action to protect themselves from ID thieves.
Around 2.5 million people still throw confidential documents away without shredding them, five million leave personal information lying around and 4.5 million regularly carry personal documents around with them in wallets and handbags.
Capital One points out that this is leaving many people open to ID theft which can lead to thieves getting credit cards and loans in your name.
This in turn can lead to problems for the victim when it comes to getting a mortgage or other financial product in the future.
