National Identity Fraud Prevention Week started on Monday, 17 October 2011, to alert consumers and businesses to the threat of identity fraud at home and at work. According to research commissioned by Fellowes exclusively for the campaign, although 95% of the UK population are now aware of the threat and risks of identity fraud, the number of victims is still rising as people continue to be careless with their identities. A total of 7% of the UK population have been victims of identity fraud, equating to over 4 million people. The average cost of these incidents to each victim is £1,190. When it comes to identity fraud, prevention is always key. Some easy ways for individuals to protect themselves include:Always checking for unfamiliar transactions on bank statements Shredding all documents containing sensitive information using a cross cut shredder before throwing them away Looking into mail that goes missing Carrying out regular personal credit report checks Redirecting post for at least six months when moving house Limiting the amount of information shared when using social networking sites For more tips and advice on how to prevent identity fraud, visit the campaign’s website, www.stop-idfraud.co.uk. The website contains a downloadable advice pack for consumers as well as a business guide.
