Identity theft assistance from red24

Press

Identity theft is one of the most common crimes committed in the UK, costing the government an estimated £1.7 billion a year.

According to recent research, as many as one in ten people in the UK have been directly affected by such fraudulent activity. This shocking statistic highlights the need for heightened awareness and the need to make provisions for identity theft assistance.

Having your identity stolen is not only an invasion of privacy, it can also have serious financial implications. In the short-term, this amounts to the cost of any purchases that have been made in your name. Long-term, those affected by identity theft may struggle to obtain credit in the future due to the fact that they may have falsely attained a poor credit rating.

On average, it takes around 500 days to discover that your identity has been stolen, and studies have shown that it takes around 300 hours to resolve the average identity theft case.

For these reasons, it is important to take precautions in order to limit the risk of identity theft. red24, a leading provider of identity theft assistance offers the following tips to avoid being a victim of fraud:

1. Be vigilant

This is perhaps the most important piece of advice to give to individuals concerned about identity theft. Be aware of unsolicited phone calls or emails, particularly those asking for details such as passwords and account details.

If you receive communications claiming to be from a bank or other financial institution, always check they are legitimate. If not, you should report any suspicious activity to the company or to the police.

2. Never share confidential information

Confidential data should be exactly that, confidential. Keep information, such as pin numbers, bank account details and passwords, to yourself. Make sure that you have different pin numbers and passwords for different accounts and services. By doing so, you will ensure that if one of these is compromised, then the impact will be limited to one account.

3. Check your bank statements

This is something that many of us neglect to do, but checking the dreaded bank statement could help you to stop identity theft before it becomes serious. Check carefully for any suspect transactions and, if you are unsure about any of these, consult your bank.

4. Shred personal information

Never throw away personal and financial information without shredding it first. Many fraudsters engage in a process known as ‘bin raiding’ in order to acquire personal details, which can be used to steal your identity. You can avoid compromising your details by shredding documents before you throw them away.

5. Keep important documents safe

Keep important documents, such as your passport and driving licence, safe and secure when you don’t need them. Don’t carry credit cards and cheque books around with you unless absolutely necessary.

red24 provides bespoke identity theft assistance to ensure that the security and confidentiality of its clients remain uncompromised.