Identity fraud is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the UK , affecting more than 50,000 people and people who move home are particularly vulnerable. Just a few simple, common sense steps can help to safeguard your identity and your financial future.
Almost a quarter of people in the UK risk having their identity stolen after they move home, simply because they neglect to redirect their post and of the 76 per cent who do remember, more than one in ten make themselves vulnerable by leaving personal documents behind.
New research released by CreditExpert.co.uk, the online credit monitoring and identity protection service from Experian, shows that many of us leave behind key personal information that can be used to commit identity fraud. And even when we do take some precautions, 70 per cent of new residents receive post addressed to previous occupants that can be used to commit identity fraud.
To avoid becoming a victim, there are some basic steps you should take.
Tell everyone you have moved
First, let all the relevant organisations know of your change of address. A starting point is the Royal Mail's free online change of address service, which is used by around 1,000 companies and organisations, including banks, utilities companies and government agencies.
You will find details on www.iammoving.com
Check your credit report Your credit report is your personal credit and financial history, which is compiled and held securely by credit reference agencies Experian is the UK 's largest.
Unexpected changes to it can be the first sign that someone is using your identity illegally for example, by applying for loans or credit cards in your name. The easiest way to monitor your report is to join CreditExpert and the signing-up process includes a careful check of your identity. CreditExpert membership means that you can inspect your credit report instantly and as often as you like. You will also be sent a weekly e-mail or text message if a significant change, such as a new search by a lender, is registered.
Click here for a free 30-day trial of CreditExpert and to view your credit report*
If you think you have become a victim of identity theft, you should let the police know straight away. Once you have a copy of your credit report, contact Experian's Consumer Help Service on 0870 241 6212 for free help and advice.
* Security precautions designed to protect your personal data mean that, in some circumstances, you may not be able to see your report until you have been sent a PIN by post.
Control your post Use the Royal Mail's Redirection Service to ensure that mail sent to you at your old address is forwarded on to you. You can choose to redirect your post for one, three, six or 12 months. At the end of that time, you can renew for up to two years. It is a good idea to redirect your post for at least a year. Taking the service for only a short time can be a false economy if personal data falls into the wrong hands.
You should also contact the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) at www.mpsonline.org.uk and ask them to remove your name at your previous address from direct mailing lists.
The MPS does not stop mailings from organisations you have dealt with directly or been a customer of in the past, so you will still need to contact them individually about your change of address.
Re-register on the electoral roll Get in touch with your new local authority as quickly as possible to register on the electoral roll at your new address and make sure you are de-registered from your previous one. The electoral roll is collected by credit reference agencies and then used by many organisations to check that you really live where you say you do.
You can find out more about registering to vote and download a registration form from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. Or ask your new local authority for a rolling registration form, which will enable you to register at your new address and de-register from your old one.
The electoral register is updated monthly but local authorities may take longer to inform credit reference agencies of any changes. If you have registered recently and the electoral roll information in your credit report has not yet been amended, use the Query Your Report tab on the CreditExpert website. Alternatively, you can contact your new local authority to get written confirmation of your registration, which you can then send to all the credit reference agencies so that they can update their records.
Don't leave a paper trail When you clear up before you move, don't throw out papers that contain valuable details about your identity criminal gangs employ people to search through rubbish, a practice known as bin raiding. They look for letters, statements and old payment card slips and then use this information to steal your identity. Shred or burn documents that you do not take with you.
If you let your home to tenants, you should take care what you leave behind. Recently, a former fashion designer, now living in the US, almost lost her UK home when a rogue tenant stole her identity, using personal papers that had been stored in a locked attic room. The tenant tried twice to sell the house for substantially below its market value and successfully sold antiques that she had stolen from the owner.
If you are letting a property, locked cupboards or rooms may not be enough to deter the committed fraudster, so the safest action is to take valuable documents off-site and store them elsewhere at the bank, with your solicitor or in a secure storage unit.
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