Identity Fraud Protection Insurance -help!

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I have just phoned to activate my Alliance & Leicester Debit card for their Premier Direct Current Account. Was expectin gtehm to offer me card protection insurance but they asked if I wanted identity fraud protection instead, £59.99/year or 4.99/month by DD. I said I would think about it as it sounds like a good idea, but does anyone know anything about it, whether I could get it cheaper elsewhere, etc?

Browntoa

go here, same thing for £11.75

http://www.cifas.org.uk/protective_registration.asp

If you have been the victim of a mugging or burglary and personal identification documents have been stolen, there is a risk they could be used by the thief to obtain credit or other products and services fraudulently in your name. For an administration fee of £11.75 (£10 plus £1.75 VAT) CIFAS offers a service, provided on their behalf by Equifax, to protect your name and address from being misused in this way.

You may contact Equifax, and request 'Protective Registration'. A CIFAS warning will then be placed against your address marked Category '0' which indicates the individual has been recorded on the CIFAS database at their own request for their protection. CIFAS members when undertaking a search against your address will see "CIFAS-DO NOT REJECT-REFER FOR VALIDATION", whatever name they search for. They will then contact Equifax to establish the reason for the entry.

As a result of the entry CIFAS members will verify further the identity of applicants, and in some cases request further proof of identification, and this may mean you personally experience delays while your credentials are fully checked out.

If you believe the identity of a deceased person may be used by a fraudster to obtain credit or other products and services, a CIFAS Protective Registration may be placed by a relative or executor against the deceased person’s address.

To apply for the CIFAS Protective registration service you will need to contact Equifax. You must supply the following details:

• Your full name
• Your date of birth
• Your full address with postcode
• The names of anyone else living at your address, and their date of birth
• Your home and work telephone numbers including the dialling codes
• A crime reference number if applicable
• Details about why you want a Protective Registration

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Thanks, Browntoa. I thought there might be a little more to this than they made out. I don't have any pressing reason to do this at the moment but will bear it in mind. I probably don't want delays on applications for credit cards as I have just started stoozing and will need at least 2 more cards soon.
Really glad I found this site as everyone seems so keen to help and the amount of knowledge is amazing. I've learned a huge amount in a very short time. Thanks everyone!

Browntoa

just scaremongering on the Credit card companies part

bit of common sense with destroying documents with a shredder and a safe for the Passport etc and I can't see where you can go wrong