Fraud Prevention - By: jacksmith

Research and statistics for identity theft and identity fraud make very concerning reading for UK citizens. A report carried out by the Centre for Economics and Business Research shows:

- Since the year 2000, identity theft has increased by around a third each year.

- The number of people who reside in the UK whose credit rating is damaged as a result of identity theft is predicted to double over the next five years to 2014.

- Identity fraudsters have already affected the credit ratings of around half a million people in the UK, and a further 440,000 are predicted to become victims in the next 5 years

As this is such a rapidly growing crime, and more people are becoming victims, each year there is the National Identity Fraud Prevention Week – this year in 2009 it was held between the 12th – 18th October.

So what steps can you take to assist you in fraud prevention?

- Below is a list of tips to try and minimise exposure to the potential risk of identity fraud:

- Be careful with you credit and debit cards – always conceal your pin and do not share it with anyone, never let the card out your sight and if they get lost or stolen report it immediately.

- Check all your statements carefully for transactions you do not recognise.

- Be aware of when statements are due to arrive – if they do not or are late, contact the issuing institution to ensure that your address is still accurate on their system.

- Keep important or sensitive documents safe, and limit the amount of these you carry around with you.

- Shred all documentation with your personal details on – fraudsters go through bins to illicit this information.

- Check your credit report on a regular basis.

- Register to vote.

When Online:

- Keep all your passwords strong and secret, and keep them unique for different sites changing them regularly.

- Ensure that your PC has a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware installed and it is updated regularly.

- Do not respond to e-mails pretending to be from financial institutions asking you to update your account information.

- Limit the amount of information you share on social networking sites.

- These are some basic things that you can do that will assist you in the fight of fraud prevention, because if you do find yourself a victim it is a long and stressful road to restore your credit file and good name.

About the Author

For more information regarding Identity Fraud and Identity Theft , please visit http://www.fraudlock.co.uk

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/jacksmith/49842

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