Identity fraud is the fastest growing method of fraud in the western world, probably for three reasons:

• People generally are not aware of its existence
  
  
• Technology is facilitating its promulgation
  
  
• Systems for prevention are in their infancy
  
  

Figures show that identity fraud in 2003 was a staggering 45% up on 2002 and £29.7 million was stolen this way - and that's just the fraud we are aware of! 7 to 10 million victims per annum suffer in the USA, which greatly exceeded expected figured. It's on the rise and it could happen to you!

Using a variety of methods, criminals steal NI numbers, driving licence details, credit card numbers, ATM cards, telephone cards and other pieces of an individual's identity e.g. dates of birth, mother's maiden name etc. They use this information to impersonate victims, spending as much money as they can, in as short a time as possible, before moving on to someone else's name and identifying information.