Identity fraud targeted in national prevention week

Almost a third of employees (32%) throw sensitive documents in the bin without first shredding them, according to research highlighted for National Identity Fraud Prevention Week.

Starting today, the event aims to highlight the danger of identity fraud - billed as one of the UK's fastest growing crimes - and encourage businesses and consumers to protect themselves.

The campaign claims that identity fraud costs the UK economy £1.2 billion each year, with 71% of the 1,000 employees polled believing that their company should be doing more to protect the identity of their customer.

A typical identity crime involves a fraudster using an individual's name and personal information to obtain credit or services. These details can be obtained through a variety of means, from card skimming, online theft, or simply by scouring bins for names, addresses and other details.

One of the partners behind the week-long event, the Federation of Small Businesses, has produced a guide to help firms identify the risks and put measures in place to beat the fraudsters.

Writing in the foreword, Mike Cherry, the group's home affairs chairman, pointed to the sheer diversity of ways in which criminals can obtain personal details.

"The problem is that identity theft can happen in a multitude of different ways, and businesses need to be on their guard to protect their sensitive business data and that of their staff and customers," he said.

"Corporate identity fraud can happen through fraudsters changing companies' details via Companies House, the hijacking of Web domains, fraudulent mortgages and Direct Debits set up via banks, and even discarded papers or CDs in the rubbish.

"The list goes on."

Last week it was revealed the cost of credit card fraud had fallen by almost a quarter over the first half of 2009.

IMAGE Assunta Del Buono/John Birdsall/Press Association Images