Identity theft

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is when personal information is stolen and used for fraud. The internet is one of the most common places for identity theft to occur so it's important to be careful with your personal details.

Phishing is commonly used by identity thieves to steal personal information. This is where a fraudulent email is sent pretending to come from a legitimate company. These emails often ask you to verify your account or respond with your account details. Thieves can then use your details to make purchases with your credit card or sign up for an account or a service on your behalf.

Be careful

There a number of measures you can take to protect yourself from identity thieves:

• Only give your credit card details to reputable, secure sites

• Don't use email to send personal information unless it is encrypted

• Shred your confidential information like account statements and bills before you throw them away

• Monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity

• Erase all your personal information from old computers before giving them away or recycling them

How to spot it

Unfortunately, the tell-tale signs of identity theft usually only appear after a person has had their identity stolen. Some things to look out for are:

• Being refused for a credit application

• Being contacted by a debt collector over debts you don't owe

• Receiving strange information about services you didn't sign up to, a house you never lived in, etc.

What to do if it happens to you

If you are the victim of identity theft you should contact the relevant authorities and financial institutions immediately.