How to protect yourself from ID fraud How to prevent
General Tips
Don't give out your Pin numbers. Avoid obvious Pins such as your birth year and don't write down your Pin number.
Keep your credit cards and cheque book safe.
Use search engines such as Google to check what information is available about you on the internet.
Application fraud/ account takeover
Keep your receipts, and tear them up, or preferably shred them, before disposing of them.
Make sure that you are not using your mother's maiden name or place of birth as a security password.
Never give information to an unknown telephone caller who can't prove their identity, even if they do claim to be from your bank.
Be sure you are dealing with a genuine company before giving them any account details, particularly if they have approached you.
Keep all your important documents, such as your passport or driving licence in a safe place.
If you use a communal letter box, collect your post as soon as possible after delivery. If post regularly goes missing contact the Royal Mail.
Cancel any old cards you don't use and close any accounts you aren't using.
Ask your bank not to send you unwanted credit card cheques.
Phishing
Never reply to emails or use links in emails, even if they look like they’re from your bank.
If you’re emailed or phoned by your bank, use its normal contact numbers to confirm whether the message is genuine.
It is a good idea to use a spam filter on your PC to block unsolicited emails- See our security software report for current Best Buys.
Pharming
The only way to beat pharming attacks is to install, and regularly update, virus and firewall software- See our security software report for current Best Buys.
When you log into your online account, check that the web address is correct before entering your details.
Always log off properly from sites and web browsers, especially when using a shared PC.
Don’t do your online banking from an internet café or over a public wireless internet ‘hot spot’ as your details could be intercepted
