Navigation

Identity safety

Identity fraud or theft is when someone takes your personal details without permission. This stolen information can then be used to obtain goods, financial services or forms of identification such as Passports.  

What is stolen?

There are a number of things that can be stolen. These include birth certificates and Passports as well as copies of bank statements or utility bills.

What can be done with this information?

• Once a criminal has copies of your identity they can commit criminal acts in your name,knowing that any investigations by the police will lead to you and not them.
• They can also buy products and arrange financial services such as loans or credit cards.

How to prevent yourself from being a victim of identity fraud

• Be careful about what you do with your personal information and who you give it to.
• If you receive a telephone call from your bank, credit card company or another financial institution or retail company and they ask for personal details such as passwords do not give it to them. Instead say you will call them back through their central switchboard.
• Make sure to protect your identity when banking online.
• Destroy all personal correspondence, such as bank statements, before putting them in the bin. You may want to consider buying a shredder or burning them with garden refuse. If you can't do this then tear them into very small pieces and place in you bin with other products.
• If you move house then remember to inform all companies that send personal information to you by post.

How to spot if you are a victim of identity fraud

• Always check your bank statements carefully. Are there any charges to your account that aren't yours. You may also have missed a statement.
• A debt collection agency may contact you about outstanding payments for something that you have not purchased.
• If this or anything else suspicious occurs then contact your bank immediately.

Internet banking

• Always learn your password and other security information and destroy the notice as soon as you receive it.
• Never write down or record your password or other security information unless it is well disguised.
• Make sure that you always follow your bank's terms and conditions.
• Always take reasonable steps to keep your password and other security information secret at all times - never reveal it to family or friends.
• Do not use the same password that you use for online banking at any non-banking sites.
• If you change your password, choose one which cannot easily be guessed.
• Never give your account details or security information to anyone. If phoning the bank, be aware of what information they will ask you: you will not normally be asked for your password in full.
• Ensure that there is a locked padlock or unbroken key in the bottom right of your browser window before accessing the bank site. The beginning of the bank's Internet address will change from 'http' to 'https' when a secure connection is made.
• Never leave your computer unattended when logged in to Internet banking.
• Ensure that you log-out properly when you have finished banking online.

Phishing

• Phishing is when someone sends an email to a user claiming to be from a bank's security department in order to retrieve personal information. The email will ask to you to click on a link to a website where you will be asked to enter personal information such as your password and user name in connection with Internet Banking.
• Once they have hold of this information the fraudster can access your bank account and move funds from it into another where they can then access the money from.
• Banks and other financial organisation will never send emails to you asking for personal details such as PIN numbers or passwords.  If you do receive an email do not fill out any of the information requested and forward it on to the bank it says it is from.

Internet chat rooms (children)

• Be careful who you trust online and remember that online friends are really strangers. People online, no matter how long you have been talking to them or how friendly they are, may not be who they say they are.
• Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. If you feel that you ‘have to’ meet, then for your own safety you must tell your parent or carer and take them with you – at least on the first visit – and meet in a public place in daytime.
• Stay in charge in chat. Keep your personal information secret when chatting online (name, address, telephone number, mobile number, private email address, picture), even if people ask for this. Although It can be tempting to reveal more than you normally would in online friendships, giving out personal information can make you vulnerable.
• Check your profile and make sure it doesn’t include any personal information (name, address, telephone number, mobile number, private email address, picture).
• Get away from an unpleasant situation in a chatroom by logging out (this just takes one click) or by changing your screen name.
• Think before you answer private messages. It can be harder to end a conversation in a private chat than in a public chat. A private chat may end up being more personal than you like.
• Use a nickname, not your real name, and a nickname that is not going to attract the wrong type of attention.
• Look out for your friends and do something if you think that they are at risk.
• Tell your parent or carer if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried.

Email frauds

• Fraudsters use email and the internet in order to con you into transferring money or providing them with details that allows them to access your bank account.
• You can keep up to date with current frauds at Metropolitan Police website

See also

• www.cardwatch.org.uk
• Identity fraud information on the Metropolitan Police website

Contact us

Safer Merton
Merton Council
Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX

Telephone: 020 8545 4146
Email: safer.merton@merton.gov.uk