Have 1 in 4 really been a victim of ID fraud?

anewman

admiralhanson wrote:

PS – To add insult to injury, I checked my credit file around 9 months later and the third’ (useless) company actually had the cheek to add back the fraudulent credit search to my credit file with no authority.

Thanks for your post. However, I wonder, is it possible to sue companies that put inaccurate information on a credit file? Obviously in this instance it has resulted in problems which have most likely affected you financially, so surely whoever makes the mistake is financially responsible...

MoneyWorries_2

I believe I am - A. My ID was stolen and used

Someone applied to every possible clothes Catalogue (e.g. Kays and others), in my name - and actually had several of thousand pounds worth of stuff delivered!!
This was back in 1999 - I was living in the north, but was just about to get married and move back down south. I was unable to sell my house - (took over a year - very bad negative equity - another story!!) - so the house was left empty. Someone – it turned out who lived directly across the road from me - applied to all the Catalogues giving my name and address and then went out to collect the stuff from the delivery persons, saying they were a friend who would pass the stuff on to me!!

Unbelievable!! It took ages to get sorted out – which was partly my own fault – I was getting the mail forwarded to my new address, but as I had never in my life bought anything from a catalogue, and had absolutely no wish to, all the letters from the Catalogue Companies just went, unopened, but ripped up into the bin, as I thought they were just a sales pitch I wasn’t interested in!!

It was only when the debts were passed on, and were not in Catalogue Company envelopes, that I eventually opened them and found out loads of people were after me for money. I contacted the companies and said I had never ordered anything from them; but foolishly I was the one who gave them my new contact details! They clearly did not believe me as ‘someone’ had received the goods! I was harassed for a long while, in the end one company was only convinced when I could prove I was out of the country, (actually on honeymoon!!), when a load of the stuff was delivered!! The companies seemed to take no responsibility whatever, for the fact that they had just handed the stuff over to someone who had just come up to them as they knocked on the door, and said ‘she’s out/at work and has asked me to take it in for her!!’

I feel like I am giving my life story here, but though it was not a massive amount of money, it did affect me very badly, as it turned out the person responsible was actually the mother of a boy I had taught!! Any teacher will tell you don’t live near the school you work at, but I couldn’t drive and had to live within walking distance. This business made all my memories of the place very bitter ones.

Anyhow, I will NEVER in my life buy anything from any catalogue, I don’t trust them, and to be honest consider them all to be incompetent! I didn’t even know about credit reference and stuff at the time, so I don’t know what affect it had on that, though I did get turned down for a Credit Card I applied for back then!! I assume anything from 1999 would be off my record by now wouldn’t it? – though I don’t imagine any of the companies themselves would have been bothered to do anything about it!! I was just so upset and was not tough enough on them I guess.
And Yes, ALL the junk mail does get opened and read in my house now, before in goes in the bin!!

Sorry this has turned into such a long first post!!

James

It’s so frustrating knowing that people have the means of protecting themselves from ID theft yet maybe asked to fork out a small fortune for ID cards.

I have a proactive system in situ protecting me from ID theft:

Neil Munroe, a director at Equifax, said, “It is certainly one answer and makes a lot of sense.” (The Sunday Post, 04 Dec 2005)

BBC Radio York gave me some air time 12 July 06 on this subject. I am sure victims of ID theft would value this information.

Compare my system with CIFAS Protective Registration:

CIFAS run the Protective Registration System which victims of ID theft are advised to subscribe to. Cost £11.75 per year. It is a password based system, can slow up any application that’s made from your address and is ONLY available to organisations that are CIFAS members.

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

The system I have in situ costs less, works with ANY organisation that checks your credit file and it doesn’t matter if you move house or die, the information available to banks, lenders, card companies remains on your file, you are protected. In addition a proactive deterrent (something you know and something you do which provides an auditable trail) is more effective than a Password.

The NCC say ID theft victims 'need more help’ (12 Jul 06)

http://nccdev.keymedia.info/cgi-bin/kmdb10.cgi/-load61688_nccviewcurrent.htm

ID theft, governments answer is voluntary ID cards. ID cards look as if they are being moved right, further into the distant future. (13 July 06)

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/comment/2160204/realism-reaches-id-card-plan

The introduction of chip-and-pin cards was supposed to reduce fraud, but according to the FOS, complaints involving disputed transactions have soared. (12 Jul 06)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2006/07/12/cmbank12.xml

Questions are.

1. Can WE do more to protect ourselves from ID Theft?

2. Is there an alternative to ID cards? A cheaper and simpler means of preventing someone pretending to be you, and if they do increasing the chances of them being caught?

3. Can we greatly reduce incidences of ‘disputed transactions’? Is there a means, without being dragged over coals, to prove we didn’t sign or apply for a loan or credit card?

Biometric Solutions in Situ:

The Co-op is using biometrics to protect a specific card from being used fraudulently in some of their stores: (8 March 06)

http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39157057,00.htm

Another retailer has been using a much simpler biometric method for the last 5 years. The system deters fraud, works with ALL cards AND cheques and the retailer has suffered no incidences of fraud. (06 Feb 06)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4684710.stm

I have the solution to the above 3 questions.

Utilising the Credit Reference Agencies databases and my own unique biometric, reduces my chances of becoming a victim of ID theft. I force any crook who steals my ID to leave their biometric at the crime scene – if they dare.

Here's how:

Taking Identity Fraud in Hand:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/3574779.stm

The Simple Way to Foil Identity Theft:

http://www.techworld.com/security/features/index.cfm?featureid=1954

I use the above system with my plastic for face-to-face transactions simply by signing the signature strip with my Thumbprint Signature. Therefore in addition to deterring application fraud, the system deters account takeover too. My plastic is certainly safer than carrying cash. The primary aim of plastic I believe.

It’s almost a no-brainer to adapt this method of ID theft prevention to cover several other types of card theft/fraud. Cards lost in the post would be rendered worthless, the theft of goods ordered by CNP methods greatly reduced.

The type of print pad used is similar to that used at Bluewater. The ink, leaves no residue, and dries almost immediately leaving no black stain or mark. The American Banks use the very same pads.


Total cost of putting the system in situ:

1 Pad providing approx 1500 prints: £5

3 x 1st Class Stamps £0.93

3 x Envelopes & Letters £1.00

Total cost £7.00 (if 1st class stamps are used). +voluntary donation. (£1.00) £8.00

If anyone wishes to use this system a small voluntary donation to Cancer Research or St. Catherine’s Hospice, SCARBOROUGH, or the charity of ones choice would be appreciated.

flyforfun

I've been the victim of B.

I was on the otherside of the world for work when the bill came in and my partner noticed transactions for parts of London I've never been to. It was likely that it got cloned at Heathrow. He called the bank, RBS, to tell them what had happenned and they weren't interested in helping him as he wasn't the account holder - they wouldn't even tell him what I needed to do. They hung up on him at one point!! :mad:

I called from abroad and got the card frozen and disputed the charges. Eventually I got the fraudulent transactions written off, but I never used the card again. The only good thing to come out of it was I got 2500 extra frequent flyer points as a result of the fraudulent transactions! These would of gone back to the company if I had made additional purchases, but as I didn't they were mine as compensation!!

I have my analogue mobile phone cloned 9 years ago, before they became digital.

Why not have photos on all bank cards? Some used to do this. In the USA and some places in Europe I've been asked for photo id when using a credit card. Surely this would be a quicker option to do.

IvanOpinion

James
Interesting ideas and it looks like the pros cuold outwiegh the cons .. however I wonder how long it would take for criminals to find a way around this if it came into common use .. probably not long. There is no foolproof system and, as the scum in society shows, it is becoming ever more resourceful.

Ivan

James

I agree nothing is fool-proof. The system will deter but not stop the determined stupid fraudster.

But look at the positives.

I can't imagine anything simpler or easier that's driven by the individual, to protect the individual. The deterent value alone is worth it. Add the bonus of easily clearing your name AND the satisfaction that you may be doing something to help catch the bad guys then for £7 it can't be bad.

The American Banks started using this system almost 10 years to deter cheque fraud, I've merely taken this to another level.

http://www.ccbg.com/resources/thumbprintsignatureprogram.htm

You can do what the American Banks do - demand someone submits their PRINT if they wish to steal your ID.

Advice sought? Should I post my -Protect Yourself - posting somewhere else?

freeloader

B: in the last couple of days! £500 by visa to 'SBC London' - who ARE they!!??

IvanOpinion

James wrote:

Advice sought? Should I post my -Protect Yourself - posting somewhere else?

It might be a good one for DT

Ivan

Former_MSE_Dan

Hi folks, here are the results of the poll:

Poll Started 10 July. Have 1 in 4 really been a victim of ID fraud? A recent survey claims this, but I believe there's an industry trying to sell us products on the back of ID fraud fear. So I want to test it myself. Remember ID fraud means someone has deliberately stolen your identity to make false applications and defraud you, it's not simple fraud where money has been charged to your account or credit card. Which of these is closest to your situation?

Total Votes: 2448


D. Never been victim of bank or card fraud - 69.6% (1706 Votes)

B. Not ID fraud but card/account had false transactions - 21.5% (527 votes)

A. My ID was stolen and used - 4.4% (110 votes)

C. I've been a victim of another bank type fraud - 4.2% (105 votes)

James

Dan,

Dare I suggest that when anyone uses YOUR account details for fraudulent purposes whether its a credit card, debit card, bank card then that is Identity Theft. They are pretending to be you, via using your cards/details/passwords/PINs to empty your account.

There are basically 2 types of fraud:

Application: Where your personal details and documents are used to obtain credit cards, loans, open banks accounts or money launder all in your name

Account Takeover: Where accounts already in situ are taken over, used and usually emptied by the fraudster.

Therefore 30% of your survey has suffered from ID theft.







James