Consumers need to be careful with bank statements and literature

Industry officials have warned that given the increase in identity theft and fraud over the years consumers need to start being far more careful with their bank statements and other literature that may have personal details on such as credit card statements, bills, bank letters, and other sensitive documents.

Many people tend to treat their personal documents, financial letters, and statements like normal waste paper, and simply put them into the waste paper basket when they are done with them or sling them into black bags outside. However, this leaves them open to identity theft because once they are in the rubbish outside they are accessible by anyone.

Experts have said that in order to minimise on becoming victims of identity theft and fraud consumers should ensure that all paperwork such as this is shredded properly so that others cannot access details about the accountholder. The advise has come from the fraud prevention service CIFAS, which has outlined some of the dangers that can lead to consumers becoming victims of identity fraud.

CIFAS said that the effects of fraud can be far-ranging, stating this could be anything “from finding out that a fraudster has set up, or attempted to obtain, accounts, products and services in your name, through to discovering that an existing account has been emptied by criminals”.

The agency said that it was not only paper documentation and bank details that consumers had to be careful with, as many fraudsters and identity thieves were now operating online. Officials said that it had therefore become increasingly important for consumers to be more vigilant and careful when reviewing or using their financial accounts via the internet, as otherwise fraudsters could quickly and easily gain access to important account and personal details.

Tags: fraud, Bank statement, identity theft, Crimes, theft, waste paper, name, identity