London, May 2014 – In recognition of ID Fraud Day on 20th May 2014 – which is part of National Scams Awareness Month – ID fraud expert, Equifax, is providing useful tips for consumers to help them protect themselves against identity theft. With CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, recently* revealing that over 60% of frauds recorded on their database in 2013 were the result of the abuse of identity details, Andrew Webb, head of Equifax Personal Solutions believes consumers need to be more aware of the risks. In particular he is urging the smartphone generation to think carefully about the personal information they keep on their devices.
“Mobiles, smartphones and tablet devices have become the equivalent of our diary, address book and general aide memoire”, said Andrew Webb. “And whilst that’s good news for staying organised it does also mean that if a mobile device is stolen, a lot of valuable information could immediately fall into the hands of fraudsters who, without too much effort, can steal personal or business identities.
“Smart fraudsters can quickly go through a phone list to spot numbers that clearly aren’t telephone numbers – such as PINs and payment card numbers. They can also look at a diary to get clues about names used for passwords and might even be able to identify which bank or credit cards a victim uses by the apps stored on a smartphone, which could then help them find other clues to account numbers and PINs. It can almost be like a ‘genie’s lamp’ with a wealth of treasures there for the taking.
“It’s also a concern that many people still don’t realise how easy it is for fraudsters to use the personal information available on social networking sites to steal their identity and open accounts in their name.
“It’s important to understand the value of your private information and take precautions to keep ID fraud at bay because fraudsters can need as little as three pieces of personal data to begin fraudulent activity.”
Equifax also urges consumers to regularly monitor their credit report for any changes to accounts or new accounts they didn’t authorise, and to help protect their personal information online with Equifax WebDetect. The 24/7 ID monitoring service helps enable consumers to keep one step ahead of fraudsters by alerting them to potential unauthorised trading of their personal information. WebDetect is free for customers purchasing a subscription to their Equifax Credit Report or Credit Score.
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