Slough is UK’s identity fraud capital
by Sarah Orrill
14/05/12 in Media monitoring | Identity Fraud/Theft |
If you live in Slough you might be shocked to learn that new research has revealed that Slough is the worst place in the UK for identity fraud.
The research by Experian found that households in the Berkshire town recorded twenty five identity fraud attempts for every 10,000 households. This means residents are targeted by nearly four times the UK national average (seven households in every 10,000).
While Slough took the lead, other hotspots for identity fraud were London, Gravesend Birmingham and Luton. London recorded 22 attempts per 10,000 households, although results varied across the capital; with the Olympic neighbourhoods of Eastham, Woolwich and Stratford coming out top.
Identity fraudsters change tactics
Interestingly, this is the first time that young people renting small flats from local councils or housing associations were the demographic most likely to be targeted by identity fraudsters. Rather than targeting the wealthiest sections of society it was this group that saw its identity fraud risk score increase by 47 per cent to 256 in 2011, making them two-and-a-half times more likely than the average UK resident to be targeted.
Experian’s research reinforces the need for people to be vigilant and take steps to protect their identity. Here are some tips that could help you keep your identity safe…
• Shred any discarded bills, statements, wage slips or even junk mail.
• Opt out of having your details available on the edited electoral roll.
• Don't let your debit/credit cards out of sight.
• When online never type credit card numbers, passwords, or any other confidential information into a web site unless its address begins with https and the browser displays the "closed padlock" symbol.
• Avoid carrying out transactions on public or shared computers.
• Check receipts against bank statements and contact their bank if concerned.
• Don't include personal details such as your home address and date of birth when posting information on a social networking site, or your CV on a jobsite.
• Make sure your antivirus software subscription is up to date, and that your computer is configured to automatically download and install any updates.
• Never write down your PIN or passwords as they can be used by criminals to commit acts of ID fraud.
• Vary your PINs and passwords.
• Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls from banks, credit card companies and other retailers or financial organisations.
• Never click on a link in an email from a company you don't recognised or one asking for your personal information. 'Phishing' is an email scam where a fraudster tries to trick you into disclosing personal details.
Identity fraud risk assessment
To discover how at risk you are from identity fraud you can use CPP’s risk assessment tool for free online.
Footnotes:
Source: http://press.experian.com/United-Kingdom/Press-Release/slough-overtakes-london-as-identity-fraud-capital-of-uk.aspx
The 10 areas most likely to be targeted
| Town/city | Cases/10k households |
|
Slough London (all) Gravesend Birmingham Luton Manchester Leicester High Wycombe Peterborough Windsor |
25 22 20 17 16 15 14 13 13 12 |
The 10 London boroughs most likely to be targeted
| London borough | Cases/10k households |
|
East Ham Woolwich Stratford Ilford Walthamstow Harrow Cheapside Lewisham Hatfield Enfield
|
78 46 43 33 27 27 26 26 26 26
|
How can I get help to protect my identity?
Don’t forget that CPP’s Identity safe can help you to protect your identity both online and offline. Not only will CPP Identity Safe provide you with 24/7 DataPatrol online fraud monitoring but also with unlimited online access to your Experian credit report and many other features.
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