It is one of the fastest growing areas of fraud! - identity theft is growing at a rate of 165% per year. (Source: UK Home Office)

In the Office
At Home
The Cause
Minimise the Risks
Useful Links

In the Office
Everyone working in a office generates information on paper that might be highly confidential, people doodle around the office and what may seem like 'nothing' to the person doodling could mean something extremely important to someone else. A misfed photocopy is discarded without thought into a bin. Sensitive information is disposed of with general waste. Increasingly, "Bin raiders" are taking advantage of lax security like this and selling information or using information gained in this way for their own benefit with sometimes damaging consequences for you and your company.

At Home
However the office is not the only place at risk from bin raiders, the risks also apply to your personal details such as credit card bills, bank statements and any other type of document that holds your personal details.  Your identity could be at risk from bin raiders who are   only to happy to go searching through your household rubbish to obtain personal details. 

These thieves can steal your identity and use it to buy goods and services which will then be charged to you without you even knowing.  It can take up to 12 months to realise that your identity has been stolen.

The Cause
Most of these crimes occur because of carelessness, thieves raid household and business refuse for documents such as those above that can provide all the information they need to conduct fraud at your cost.

Minimise the Risk
Help minimise the risk by protecting yourself from this threat, buy one of our paper shredders and use it every time you need to dispose of any confidential or personal documents in your home or office.  REMEMBER... SHRED THEM!

Useful Links
To find out more about identity fraud, including measures that you can take to protect yourself against it and how to respond to suspected fraud, check out our list of useful links below:

Home Office Identity Theft
www.identity-theft.org.uk
A website offering advice on how to protect yourself from identity theft and other advice such as where to get a copy of your personal credit file, tips on passwords and general safe procedures to reduce your risk.

Fraud Reduction
www.uk-fraud.info
Advice for individuals and businesses on how to recognise fraud, how to avoid it through preventative measures, and how to respond to suspected frauds.

National Anti-Fraud Network
www.nafn.gov.uk
Anti-fraud information exchange tools including the ability to report scams online as well as a raft of anti-fraudresources.  Funded by voluntary contributions from local authorities there is also a dedicated London organisation, the London Team Against Fraud.

Financial Services Authority
www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer
Information on recent scams and swindles, including ‘phishing’ where criminals try to hook potential victims from a sea of internet users

Fraudweb
www.fraudweb.co.uk
Designed by anti-fraud practitioners for anti-fraud practitioners in the UK Public Sector.  Free to subscribers, it includes all the latest fraud-related news stories.

Identity Theft: Do you know the signs
www.fraudadvisorypanel.org/publications1.html
The Fraud Advisory Panel’s report, which can be downloaded free here, provides guidance to businesses and individuals on detection, prevention, and dealing with a fraud once it has happened.

Card Watch
www.cardwatch.org.uk
The UK banking industry's body that works with police, retailers and organisations including Crimestoppers to fight plastic card fraud.

CIFAS
www.cifas.org.uk
A fraud prevention service set up by the credit industry. The website includes detailed guidance on protecting yourself against identity fraud.

'419' Scam
www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm
Metropolitan Police site specifically about the West African/Nigerian ‘419’ scam which involves requests to help move large sums of money.

This is Money
www.thisismoney.com/20040418/si77050.html
Report on bogus banks, including a list of what to look out for.

Identity fraud: Who's being you?
www.accountancyage.com/Features/1132708
Feature from AccountancyAge.com about the growing problem of identity theft, including examples of the methods used by the fraudsters.

Protecting your good name
www.moneyextra.com/features/
Moneyextra feature about identity crime, with information about the extent of the problem and simple measures you can take to prevent it, such as taking care when you throw away papers away containing personal information.

4Money
www.channel4.com/search/index.jsp
Article on Channel 4’s money site on how to avoid being the victim of credit card fraud.


This information is believed to be reliable. However, UK Office Direct Ltd. assumes no liability for errors and is not responsible for and does not endorse or accept any responsibility over the contents or use of these Web Sites