Free Identity Fraud Protection

James

Hi Fella,

Sorry for the delay in replying and thanks for your kind words.

Q. What processes do financial institutions use to verify your ID. Do they check your Print?

A. The very same as they do now, with one exception, they must comply with the instruction in your Notice of Correction, i.e. they do not open an account unless they have an application signed and Thumbprinted. This puts you in the driving seat if anything goes wrong in the application opening process.

They’ve no means of checking the PRINT all it does as you correctly say is provide an auditable trail of who applied.

• Level of delays in account opening?

• By law, any Credit File that contains a Notice of Correction cannot be automatically processed, hence the slight delay. I’ve had it said to me that this may mean a higher risk of the application being declined. This hasn’t happened for obvious reasons.

I’ve personally tested the system, by opening a Current Account, an ISA and, applying for several Credit Cards, including an Internet application. All worked as they should. The online application I was told had been referred for manual processing. A paper application form was sent to me to sign and Thumbprint and the account was opened by return of post. Delay I reckon a maximum of 10 days. The debit account took about 14 days.

• Inkless Thumbprint Pads?

• Produced in the USA, they are used by US Banks to deter cheque fraud.

There are many suppliers but you should find a link on the www.freeidproection.co.uk website to one of the sites sponsors, Solon Security. On their Home Page, under Search by Product, click on to Theft and Fraud Prevention.

It maybe worth mentioning at this point that you are NOT adding your Thumbprint to your Credit File. You are only using your credit files as means of communicating to ALL lenders that they shouldn’t accept an application without a print.

Last of all I’ve emailed Martin, had a reply on 3 July from the Help Team saying they’d forward my information to the Editorial Team. I’ve heard nothing since, hence the plea via the Forum directly to Martin.


Once again thanks and I hope this answers all your questions and hastens a reply from Martin.

AndyMan

Protecting your identity can be a costly business. All three of Britain’s Credit Reference Agencies offer relatively expensive services to warn you that someone has obtained a credit card or financial product in your name. The problem is, it’s often too late to do anything about it. The old adage, prevention is better than the cure, is certainly appropriate here.

That’s why the Credit Reference Agencies may not be too keen in introducing a virtual free way of stopping a thief from opening a new bank account, visa card, or even a mortgage in your name; they are bound to lose revenue from their so called “Identity Fraud” packages.

If you want free identity fraud prevention go to www.freeidprotection.co.uk and send the Notice of Correction (NOC) to the three Credit Reference Agencies, and use the thumb print idea. I now have sent my NOC to Equifax, Experian and CallCredit, with varying success.

It’s easy to send the NOC with the template letters available, my wife and I sent in our NOC in the same envelope. We waited about 3 weeks then I received confirmation that my NOC was in place, but no sign of my wife’s NOC. Hopefully my wife’s NOC will be sorted out soon.

Next, we sent our NOC in the same envelope to Experian, this time we received notice that both our NOC were to be applied. Though, they warned us that there may be a time delay in us applying for a credit card and being accepted. This delay is hardly a barrier, since how many times do you apply for a new credit card? I certainly want security over the speed of an application, and even then, the application may not take any longer than usual.

Experian tried in vain to persuade us to amend the NOC so that the thumb print was not needed for applications over the Internet or phone, instead they suggested we use a password. This we found misleading as it’s lenders who have to comply with our instructions even if applications are submitted on-line or by phone. Passwords do not offer the same level of protection as your unique thumb print. In fact, the staff at the Credit Reference Agencies and at the credit card companies will know your password, which can compromise your security, since many frauds are committed internally.

By simply ignoring Experian’s suggestion, the original NOC is implemented. They also claimed that they don’t have copies of your thumb print on record, I already knew this. The essence of the notice is to require lenders to ensure that any credit application received from me contains my thumbprint. If someone else uses their thumb print, instead of yours, you are protected from liability. So my advice would be to stick to your original NOC and thumb print it, if only to deter spoofing.

AndyMan:j

James

What you're protected against is demonstrated in the following video from The Real Hustle:

The I.D. Theft Hustle.

A solution: www.freeidprotection.co.uk

asokreddy

Hi,

I have given identity information that is scanned PAN card to a Fraud Agancy.I live in India.Please help me how to protect myself.waiting for reply.Please please please help me,what are the steps i need to follow.It seems it is from uk.becz his mail id yahoo.co.uk...please i am really in need of help...

Check his mail:
From:CASTRO KEN <unitednationslotteryonline1@yahoo.co.uk>
Dear Winner,

With reference to your mail and information quoted.I like to inform you that your claims has been processed and a cash cheque of $1,000,000.00 USD has been issued with your name on it.


kindly be informed that we have two ways of given out Prizes to winners.


1. You will have to come down to the lottery Headquater to get the Lottery Winning Prize of $1,000,000.00 USD in cash, along with other relevant document like your Winning Certificate,and a covering note stating that the Money was issued to you because, you emerged the winner in the National Lottery Programme which is registered with the British Gambling Board before the next 72 hours to avoid disclaim of winnings.


2. Alternatively if you are unable to come down to the Lottery headquarters, then your winning Cash Cheque will be sent to you Via Courier Delivery services


However if you choose to use options two which is the Courier Option the lottery board will not be liable to pay the Courier delivery charges for you since it was not involve in our initial process of Prize Award outside UK. But we shall monitor the delivery process and make sure that your Winning Check/Documents are delivered to you without delay.


Futhermore,if you have adopted to use a Courier services to deliver your Winning Cheque, then get back to me so that i can give you a complete details of a reliable Courier Services that can handle a Parcel Delivery of this nature.

I await your response Asap.

James

MPs are Calling for an ID Theft Tsar.

Angela Knight, Chief Executive British Bankers Association: Customers and banks need to work together to fight financial fraud.”


Here's a reminder that YOU can take PROACTIVE steps to Protect Yourself against ID Theft.

Visit www.freeidprotection.co.uk

Quotes:

Robert Goodwill MP - His idea is vastly cheaper than the proposed Government ID cards, which are estimated to cost between Pounds 90 and Pounds 300 per person.

Barry Stamp CE of Annual Credit Report: “The Advantage of Mr. Jamieson’s system are two fold. It will reach ALL lenders and not just CIFAS members. It’s cheaper.”

Equifax boss Neil Munroe said: "This is an excellent idea. It offers people effective protection against fraud."


IF it's for YOU go for it. Crooks or Lenders don't have an option!

How about a link on this site Martin to "Ones Not to Miss"?

paramedicmonkey

Outraged,_Tunbridge_Wells wrote: »

I have had a Barclaycard for some time, and wished to know whether the free ID Fraud Protection covered me. The person I (eventually) spoke to seemed not to know what I was talking about. Having patiently explained everything several times she told me that, certainly, such protection was available but, equally certainly, it was not free. Who's kidding whom?

i had a similar experience to "outraged,tunbridge wells".

after applying for a barclaycard to get free id fraud protection, i was told by the advisor that was activating my card that such protection was definatley not FREE and she kept trying to flog me card protection insurance to protect myself against id fraud:mad:

i was first concerned after receiving the benefits and services guide along with the card, which made no mention of free id fraud protection!!

the following is an excerpt from martin's free id fraud protection article:

"It promises a range of different methods to help you, but the one that counts is it will provide specialist expert advice via an identity fraud helpline seven days a week.
If you become a victim of identity theft this helpline promises to be able to provide one-on-one help with cancelling any compromised accounts, clearing your name, repairing your damaged credit status and help with filing police reports. "

there was no definately no mention of this in the guide and the advisor on the phone was unaware of this too.

needless to say i cancelled the card as the promotional 0% interest period for purchases was not one of the best!!

RickMave

I just got thru applying for a new Barclaycard, and the ID protection I was offered was £59 a year, so I can definitely confirm that it is not free.

Another subscriber to this thread provided a link to Redline Security, which unfortunately didn't work (there was a dot missing after www). When I found the company via google their search didn't throw up any matches for 'inkless'. So I found their inkless pad via another route:

http://www.redlinesecurity.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=193

This provides a way of getting a thumb/fingerprint onto paper using an ink that can easily be removed from your digits.

Cheers,
Rick

James

Rick Mave,

Thanks for the link (it works). Pads are also available from the Sponsor's link on the www.freeidprotection.co.uk website or within the link in the text on the Home Page:

To apply for financial products you’ll need an Inkless Thumbprint Pad these are available here . Why not ask your bank or building society to make inkless pads available for your use?
Follow: Theft & Fraud Prevention.

FREE: Notice of Correction TEMPLATE letters are also available on the www.freeidprotection.co.uk website.

TokSik

You are all missing the point when it comes to ID theft, as it is not you that is being defrauded, but the company(s) that pay out to the fraudsters.
I work as a debt adviser at a citizens advice bureau so deal with these issues from time to time. Below is a letter I send regularly on behalf of my clients to debt collection firms / creditors when they try to pass on the losses they have incurred as a result of ID theft :--

Further to your letter addressed to our client dated XXXXXX
We are assisting the abovenamed client regarding her financial difficulties and we understand she has an alleged debt with you. We enclose a signed letter of authority.
Our client informs us that she has not taken out the credit for which you pursue her and that she informed your client and yourselves by telephone and in writing of this. She reported this matter to XXXXXXX police then supplied you with the XXXXXXX police matter reference number (which is not a crime reference number, as these are only supplied to the “victim” of the crime after “they” report the crime).
Given that :--

1) the crime of fraud was committed against your client inasmuch as it is your client (not our client) who is the victim of the alleged crime(s) who gave credit to a fraudster (albeit in our clients name);
2) you have failed to provide any evidence of our clients liability;
3) since being informed of our clients denial (as above) you and/or your clients have on 2 or more occasions embarked on a course of conduct by making unreasonable demands of liability against our client arising from an action which you ought to have known was fraud against your client, thereby causing our client alarm and/or distress;

it follows that ignoring the dispute about whether or not our client owes the money may amount to harassment contrary to the S.40 Administration of Justice Act 1970 (if she is liable). Your/your client’s course of conduct amounts to harassment of our client contrary to S.2 and S.7 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (if she is not liable).
The actions of yourselves and/or your client also amount to “evasion of liability by deception” contrary to S.2 Theft Act 1978 by “attempting to obtain a pecuniary advantage from our client by deception” contrary to S.16 Theft Act 1968 inasmuch as you are trying to deceive our client into accepting liability for money that was given away as a result of fraud against your client.
As such, we would request that you :--

1) forthwith cease harassing our client by making unreasonable demands from her for money for which your client is solely responsible and liable;
2) remove from our clients account the debt that is solely your clients liability;
3) return this matter to your client and advise them to report the crime against them to the police;
4) inform us of the crime reference number;
5) inform the relevant credit reference agencies to remove this matter from their records;
6) apologise to our client for the alarm and/or distress to which you and/or your client have subjected her;
7) offer our client a reasonable ex-gratia payment for the alarm and/or distress you have inflicted upon her;
8) alternately, forward to us proof of our clients liability arising from a police investigation into this crime (as above).

As you are aware, the Office of Fair Trading guidelines require that creditors and their agents correspond directly with authorised third parties in these matters. Your co-operation in this matter is appreciated.
We await your response within a reasonable time.

If they do respond negatively, I then report the matter to the Financial Services Ombudsman for investigation by them.

Don't allow yourself to be deceived into accepting liability for the negligent actions of financial institutions. ID theft is THEIR problem, not yours (assuming you don't make your pin number public - and do be aware that there is currently a scam doing the rounds where someone phones you up pretending to be your bank and asks for your pin but does not ask for your other details as they already have those) .
So costly insurance against ID theft is a mis-sold product the instalments for which you should claim back (with compound interest).

Hopefully this will set off a new form of claim against the banks / money lenders.

AndyMan

Thanks Toksik for the template letter, if you have your identity stolen they ruin your credit score. I know if you use the thumb print idea http://www.freeidprotection.co.uk/ you have moved the responsibility away from yourself to the credit companies. That's the beauty of the thumb print idea, is that you can easily prove it is not your thumb print, they can’t hold you responsible.

I enclose a piece from my local paper, which shows prevention is far better than cure.

Quote
A 62 year-old man who cannot talk has been hassled for hundreds of pounds by a major mobile phone company.
David Throup, 62, of Victoria Road, who has Down's Syndrome, cannot read, write or sign a contract but has been subjected to months of bill demands from the Orange phone company.

After we contacted Orange, it finally sent his carer, his sister Ann, 64, a letter this week confirming David had been a victim of identity theft fraud and scrapping the demand for £257.

Ann, who provides constant care for David told how she had been stressed and anxious trying to resolve the phone bill problem with Orange, who she claims were less than helpful.

Ann explained: "I tried to get through to them but they said I had to give a mobile number, which of course I didn't have. I tried again and didn't get through and I got fed up.

"When I finally got through to the company they said I had to write a letter with a doctor's note, explaining about my brother because they needed third party authorisation and they could not discuss it any further with me without this.
"I think it is awful they can do this to someone like David when he cannot defend himself."

She added: "Once I rang and someone at Orange told me the police didn't know about these things - legal things -they only know about the traffic."

In October, Ann went to the police who advised her to write to Orange explaining that if they send her any more letters of harassment, she would further consult them.

But yet another bill arrived for Mr Throup in November, the payments this time culminating in a £247.57 charge for a phone he has never owned.

After receiving the letter from Orange, Ann said: "I am glad that it has come to an end because it has caused me a lot of anxiety I am really cross because the time I spent running about after this. I was upset about it because it was in David's name as well. I handle all his finances."
A police spokesman confirmed they had advised Ann to write a letter and send it recorded delivery.

A spokesman for Orange said: "As soon as Orange was contacted by Ms Throup, Mr Throup's account was deactivated as requested. We have advised Ms Throup that the account is now closed and there are no charges due."

A spokesman for the Down's Syndrome Association agreed that it was important to protect vulnerable adults from this type of incident.

He added: "In a time when identity fraud is an increasing concern, it is particularly important to protect vulnerable adults who may be seen as easy targets'. Every effort should be made not only to help individuals avoid these situations, but also to support them in resolving the problem."