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Preventing Identity Theft - 10 FREE Things You Can Do

In today's virtually cashless world you may be more at risk than you have ever been before. But protecting yourself may be easier than you think. Below you will find ten free (or almost free) ways you can protect your family, your identity and your wallet so that you aren’t a victim of the common crime of identity theft.

1. Shred all important financial documents.

Today's thieves may be technological masterminds when it comes to manipulating your information for their gain, but that doesn't mean they are beyond dumpster diving. What you view as trash, they may view as a goldmine. So make sure you cross-shred all documents that may have any of your personal information on them. Primarily you want to make sure you destroy anything with credit card or bank account numbers, and you certainly want to make sure thieves find no trace of your social security number in your trashcan. Shredding receipts for credit or ATM card transactions is also a good precaution to take. But, you can also go a step further and shred all mail that has your name and address on it so it makes it far more difficult for identity thieves to find out anything about you. If possible, put your trash out on the morning it is scheduled to be picked up instead of the night before as it makes it more difficult for thieves to get into your trash in the first place.

2. Request your free credit reports each year.

Since identity thieves specialize in stealing your personal information and opening new credit accounts in your name instead of simply making fraudulent charges to your existing accounts, it is extremely important that you monitor your credit report. Far too often people assume they don't need any kind of identity protection and they don't realize their credit has been compromised until they go to apply for an auto loan or to refinance their homes. Then they have to deal with the two-fold problem of repairing their destroyed credit and forgoing a loan they should have qualified for but didn't. Obtaining your free credit report is easier than you may think. Simply visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com to receive your free reports (you can receive one a year from each of the major credit agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). Even if you don't obtain all three reports at once, make sure you review your report from each agency at least once a year as some credit accounts won't appear on reports from all three agencies.      

3. Use strong passwords and pin numbers on all financial accounts and change them often.

Today's hackers don't usually work alone, so an identity thief (or someone who can unknowingly feed them information) might be closer to you than you think. In order to protect yourself, make sure that your passwords and pin codes for all financial institutions aren't obvious to someone who may know you. Birthdays, anniversaries and nicknames, although easy to remember, aren't very strong. If you must write your passwords and pin codes down don’t leave them in your desk at work. If possible, try not to use the same passwords and pin codes for all accounts and change them every three months for an extra measure of security.  

4. Mail all bills from the post office and not your own mailbox.

Although it may be convenient to simply walk to the curb, put your outgoing mail in your mailbox and raise the red flag for the postman, you may be unintentionally alerting thieves to easy access to your bank or credit account numbers. Instead of letting your precious financial information sit unprotected, mail it at the post office where it will be safely locked inside a mailbox while it waits to be picked up. You may also want to consider getting a lock for your mailbox so you can protect all incoming bills from identity thieves. If getting a lock for your mailbox isn't an option, it may be worth incurring the small fee associated with obtaining a P.O. Box to insure that all of your financial information is safe from the clutches of lurking thieves.

5. Reduce your junk mail and unsolicited credit card offers.

Since identity thieves seek to create new credit accounts in your name, getting their hands on a credit card offer in your name could potentially seem like winning the lottery for them. Stopping (or significantly reducing) the amount of junk mail-namely credit card offers-you receive could wind up saving you from major heartache and frustration. Simply visit the national credit bureau’s opt out website at: http://www.optoutprescreen.com or call them at 1-888-5-678-688. While you are at it, it would probably be a good idea to register with the Do Not Call Registry too (http://www.donotcall.gov or 1-888-382-1222).

6. Always know where your credit card is—even in restaurants and retail stores.

Although not having to carry cash is convenient, especially when you are out to dinner at a nice restaurant, using a credit card in venues where you cannot always see the person running your card might be putting you at risk. Many waiters use skimming to process your payment, and identity thieves sometimes sit in parking lots trying to access financial information from restaurants and stores that may use wireless systems. If keeping your card within your line of sight isn’t always possible, pay with cash instead.

7. See if your credit card company offers any free safety features for online shopping.

Although many online retail outlets promise "secure" shopping on their sites, you can never be too safe. Some financial institutions offer built in features to protect you-and your money-from becoming vulnerable. For instance, Bank of America offers the free "Shop Safe" feature which allows credit account holders to log on and receive a temporary account number (good for one online transaction) every time they shop. That way, if an account number is ever stolen from the vendor it's a dead number and the actual bank account won't be charged.      

8. Don't carry your social security number with you, and don’t use it as a user ID or password. 

Since your social security number is the key that could single handedly unlock numerous doors for identity thieves, you want to protect this number more than you want to protect anything else. So, memorize it and then lock your original card away in a safe place. Don’t make copies of it, and don't give the number out unless it is absolutely necessary. Before giving it out, make sure you ask the institution you are giving it to (mortgage lender, healthcare provider, etc…) what their privacy policy is and how your information will be protected.  

9. Monitor credit card bills and bank statements carefully each month.

Although identity thieves specialize in lifting your information and creating new accounts with it, there are some novice thieves who simply steal your information and make charges to your existing accounts. Smart thieves won't make huge purchases, and they won't make multiple purchases on one account at one time. Instead, they will monitor your spending habits and will try to make purchases that will mimic yours in hopes that you wont' notice that they are using your account. So, once a month schedule a time to sit down and study your credit card bills and bank statements so you can ensure that you are only paying for purchases that you authorized or made. Make sure to pay special attention to bills and statements that come just after a vacation, as account information is more easily stolen when people travel.

10.  Beware of online "friends" who may really be identity thieves in disguise.

Internet chat rooms, online dating sites and teen friendly sites like Facebook or MySpace might be making you and your family more vulnerable to identity theft than you think. Educate your children about identity theft so they don’t unintentionally pass along personal information to someone who may be posing as a friend. And regularly check your children's profile pages to make sure addresses and phone numbers aren’t being released to the public. In a world where things aren't always what they seem, you can never be too careful.

If Identity Theft Happens to You

Despite your best efforts to protect yourself, you still might find yourself as a victim of identity theft. If you do, make sure you contact your local police, all of your financial institutions and all three credit agencies (Equifax: http://www.equifax.com TransUnion: http://www.tuc.com and Experian: http://www.experian.com) right away. You may also want to consider putting a security freeze on your credit report. It will prevent anyone from running your credit without you being notified first. Remember, it's your identity so it's your job to protect it.    

Identity Theft - Glossary

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FTC: Identity Theft is the Fastest Growing Crime

There is no doubt that in a technology driven world, where personal information is easily accessible, identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. Because each case of identity theft looks slightly different, there is no blanket solution for stopping all forms of this crime and it is up to consumers to protect themselves. Identity theft should not be taken lightly as it can allow someone else access to your good credit while simultaneously preventing you from having access to the good credit you worked hard to establish.

Several years ago, when identity theft was a newer crime, it was wrongly assumed that all thieves could do was steal your existing credit card numbers and make fraudulent charges. But it has now been proven that advanced identity thieves know how to take things a step further and open new accounts of all kinds with a person’s social security number.  Innocent people just like you have requested their free annual credit report only to be shocked by auto loans, utility accounts and even mortgages that have been taken out in their names without their knowledge. Some documented cases boast over 100 fraudulent accounts being opened for a single social security number. Since the crime is ever expanding, more and more people are vulnerable to it each and every year.

How Thieves Get Your Information

The FTC has determined that there are primarily three ways in which thieves seek to steal consumer’s information: mail, trash and wallets. Most people don’t think of junk mail as anything more than an annoyance. But identity thieves see junk mail as an opportunity—especially all of those pre-approved credit card offers. However, it’s not only junk mail that thieves want to steal. Existing bills can provide them with even more information about you so they might steal those too.

As many as 400,000 people a year have reported that stolen mail was the entry point identity thieves used to begin the process of hijacking their identities, and therefore their lives. Mail theft is such a problem that the United States Postal Inspectors have become a leading force in the fight against identity theft. You can join them in their efforts by mailing all bills and important documents from the post office (instead of from your own mailbox) and monitoring your mail closely. If you aren’t receiving mail you normally do, you should alert your postman as you may have been a victim of mail theft.

Another way you can prevent your information from falling into the clutches of an identity thief is to purchase a cross-shredder and to shred all documents (bills, bank statements, credit card offers, etc…) that may have any account numbers or your social security number on them. Cross-shredded confetti won’t provide thieves with the kind of party they were looking for in your trash can, but it will help insure that your identity remains with the only person it belongs to: you.

Wallets and purses may seem like a small prize in comparison to some of the debts big-time identity thieves have been known to accrue. But in the eyes of a crook your wallet or purse can be the perfect entry point to a very big pay day. Protect yourself by carrying as few credit cards as possible (keeping it to one would be wise), and never carry your actual social security card on you unless you absolutely have to. Instead, memorize the number and only give it out when absolutely necessary. And even then, ask the institution you are giving it to how they protect your privacy and dispose of and store your personal information.  

Keeping Tabs on Thieves Who May Be Onto You

Even when taking all identity protection steps, a professional id thief may still somehow outsmart you. That’s why you need to regularly take steps that will help you detect any thieves who may have compromised your information so that you can catch them before the damage is substantial. There are laws in place to protect consumers from incurring out of pocket expenses pertaining to identity theft. But the sooner you catch an identity thief, the better your chances that your issue can be resolved quickly and with minimal effort and expense. In rare cases, where identity thieves have created and defaulted on multiple accounts in a person’s name, collections agencies might pose a problem for innocent victims by accusing them of simply trying to get out of delinquent accounts. At that point it might take up to 100 hours and several thousand dollars to clear your good name.

To prevent that from happening to you, log onto http://www.annualcreditreport.com and obtain your free credit report from each of the three agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) each year. It’s recommend that you obtain one report from each agency as not all credit accounts show up on each report. But in an effort to keep the closest eye on your credit, it is suggested that you don’t obtain all three reports at once and that instead you space them out and obtain one every four months. It’s also a good idea to check your credit report before applying for a loan or a new job. That way you are alerted to any suspicious or fraudulent activity done in your name and you are able to repair it before you lose a loan or a job that should have been yours.

Relatives who have the same first and last names, but different middle names, or fathers and sons with identical names (plus a Sr. or Jr. suffix) may find that their information commonly shows up on the other person’s report. It’s important that you distinguish yourself from others with your name so that your credit score is an accurate reflection of your spending and borrowing practices and no one else’s. Taking the time to correct minor discrepancies will make it easier for you to deal with major problems should you ever need to. Some criminals play off of the same or similar name among relatives scenario by opening accounts with your social security number and a different middle name or a misspelled last name, which will still show up on your credit report but won’t look as suspicious to creditors if a thief’s spending practices don’t match yours.   

Reporting Fraudulent Activity or Inaccuracies

Most people panic when they realize their identities have been stolen, and they don’t normally think clearly. So it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the four-step process to stopping identity theft before you ever need it. First, it is almost always necessary to file a police report so there is proof that a crime has been committed. In the event that future debt collectors come calling and don’t believe that your identity has been stolen, having a police report may get them to back off and stop bothering you.

You also need to contact the three major credit agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) immediately so that the thief cannot continue to open new credit in your name or reopen any fraudulent accounts you may close. Ask each agency to place a “fraud alert” on your credit so that all future requests for credit must be verified by you over the phone before any new accounts can be opened.

Once you have done that, it is also important that you contact the institution that owns the compromised or fraudulent account and inform them of what happened so that you can begin the process of closing that account and you can prevent that thief from doing further damage. It’s also important that you file an ID Theft Complaint Form with the FTC so that your case can become part of a criminal investigation and your thief can possibly be caught and prosecuted for the crime.

In all cases, the quicker you act the easier it will be to resolve your situation. Taking extra steps to protect yourself from becoming a victim and taking steps to monitor whether or not your credit has been compromised can be the difference between a happy ending and a long reoccurring nightmare. The government recognizes identity theft as a serious crime and has even set up The President’s Task Force on Identity Theft to help inform and protect consumers. And the FTC has an entire website set up to help educate people about the growing problem of identity theft (http://www.gtc.gov/idtheft). But these, and other, resources are only as valuable to you as you make them. Make every effort to protect your identity, or you may find that one day it belongs to someone else.   

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The authorities recently uncovered an organized Eurasian gang of 15 operating in Las Vegas and responsible for $1.5 million in stolen money from credit cards and identity theft. Seven other people were also charged for crimes involving ID fraud, narcotics and weapons violations. According to the U.S. attorney, the suspects were involved in "skimming" and had people working in businesses such as restaurants, bars and smoke shops who would fraudulently obtain credit card numbers using counterfeit devices.

31-year-old Alen Torosyan of Henderson, 29-year-old Tigran Saponjyan of La Habra, Calif., and 30-year-old Paulette Vartan of Henderson are some of the suspects arrested in the crime. Read more

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ACORN Voter Registration Fraud & ID Theft

With the 2008 Presidential election now less than one month away, many Americans are in the midst of researching the candidates and throwing their support behind the man they trust the most. With voter registration deadlines looming in many states, unregistered voters are scrambling to complete last minute registration forms that will allow them the power to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

Many young constituents will be casting their votes for the first time as they have recently come of age. Others, are registering because this is the first election that has actually interested them. With history set to made by the election of either the first black President or the first female Vice President, those of voting age are all clamoring to have their voices heard.

The type of buzz and excitement that the 2008 election is drawing provides an almost ideal setting for identity thieves to swoop in and claim their part of the spoils. Voter registration fraud has been making the news almost daily in recent weeks. And where voter registration fraud reigns, full-blown identity theft is almost sure to follow.

At the center of recent controversy lies an organization commonly known as ACORN (Association of Community Organizers for Reform). One of the primary roles of these community organizers during election years is to register voters in low income neighborhoods. Because ACORN workers get paid per voter they register there is a genuine conflict of interest. ACORN is facing allegations of voter registration fraud in 13 states—with seven of those states having already launched full-fledged investigations.

Because some ACORN staffers are unable to meet their quotas and face penalties like smaller paychecks or losing their jobs altogether, there has been an influx of falsified voter registration forms being filed by desperate employees. At first, they were simply registering legitimate voters multiple times (one man was pressured to register 73 times). Then fictitious people were registered. In Nevada someone registered the entire starting lineup for the Dallas Cowboys.

And, thus began the impromptu marriage of voter registration and identity theft. Seven-year-old O’jahnae Smith was registered in the state of Connecticut. All of her information was correct except the year of her birth—someone had adjusted her birth date by twenty years in order to make her more than old enough to vote. Her parents had no idea that someone had registered using the girl’s identity and think a drug-addicted relative may have been bribed to divulge the information.

In Washington, deceased Army Ranger and former NFL player, Pat Tillman was registered to vote well after the date of his passing. In Nevada, Roberta Casteel—who has been registered to vote for the past 21 year—received a letter informing her that her recent requests to register as both a Democrat and an Independent were denied. The problem was she didn’t submit forms to register as either. Yet both forms contained her address, her social security number and her date of birth. Both forms contained fraudulent signatures, neither of which matched her legitimate signature that the registrar of voters had on file.

Why ACORN’S Actions Are Alarming

Supporters of ACORN are defending the organization’s actions by claiming that a crime has not yet been committed. Fraudulently registering voters and fraudulently voting are two entirely different things, they say. Yet, the crime of identity theft has been committed the moment an existing person (or a previously existing person, in the case of the deceased) is registered to vote by someone fraudulently pretending to be that person. In fact, fraudulently signing the form is a felony.

Although the throwing of the 2008 Presidential Election could have serious ramifications for all Americans, there is even something more alarming about ACORN’s actions. Those working for the organization have fraudulently obtained people’s private personal information including social security numbers, dates of birth and addresses. The information they are filing in on voter registration forms is the exact same information they would need to fill out a credit card or loan application. And, if those accused are claiming they are fraudulently registering people because they need the money ACORN is paying them, what’s going to stop them from fraudulently obtaining credit because they need the money? A felony is a felony. Those who are willing to commit one will likely be willing to commit another—especially when all the information they need to do it is already in their possession.

How to Protect Yourself

The number of fraudulent voter registrations being filed varies from state to state. But Nevada alone estimates that as many as 2,000-3,000 fraudulent forms are being submitted by ACORN per week. Across the nation, the number of fraudulent registrations could be well into the hundreds of thousands. That’s why it’s extremely important that each person be vigilant when it comes to protecting his or her own identity as well as that of any children or deceased relatives who may be at risk.

Right now there is not a surefire way to determine whether or not you or someone you love has been fraudulently registered to vote. But there is a way to determine if new credit has been obtained in your name (or the name of a loved one) or if your information is being bought on sold on the internet black market.

Purchasing a product like ID Secure might greatly increase your peace of mind as well as the level of protection guarding your identity. For just $1 for the first month, and $12.99 each month after that, a professional identity monitoring company will use advanced web crawling technology to search the internet and public records to make sure that your social security number, credit and ATM cards and other personal information isn’t being fraudulently used in any way. ID Secure makes sure your identity is being monitored 24 hours a day seven days a week helping to keep it safe. If fraudulent activity is suspected, you will be informed immediately. You can learn more by clicking here.

Voter registration fraud and identity theft are both very real problems affecting thousands of Americans every day. Make sure you are doing your part to protect yourself and those you love. Don’t ignore the recent reports about ACORN. Instead, let them motivate you to put a plan in place to help keep your ID Secure.
    

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O'jahnae Smith is ready and registered to vote this November.

There's only one problem: She's 7 years old.

The Connecticut girl is 11 years too young - and nobody in her family knows how she ended up on a voter registration form submitted by ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Read more.

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When identity theft suspect Christina Herrera was arrested, she didn't have to wait long to tell her husband. He was in the next holding cell.

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Protecting Your Family From ID Theft

Can you picture your two-year-old with a mortgage or your grandfather who’s been dead for five years with stamps from a recent trip to Italy in his passport? Those things may sound impossible, but they happen every day. In the world of identity theft nothing is as it appears, and with rules like that anything is possible. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America and affects nearly 10 million people each year. It’s a crime that reaches every demographic and plagues some people for life. That means that everyone in your family is at risk. From the newly born to the newly deceased identity theft is a rampant crime and it must be stopped—and it’s your job to stop it.

Who it Affects and How

Infants/Children: It might seem absurd to think of a five year old child with a seventeen page credit history, but it’s been known to happen. In a world where a social security number is all identity thieves need to unlock the door to wealth, children are prime targets. In 2006, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report stating that 5% of all identity theft victims were under the age of 18. That means that up to 50,000 children could be victims of identity theft each year without their parents having any idea. Since children don’t generally have any credit history, and they won’t attempt to use their own credit for many years, thieves can usually get away with identity crimes against children for longer periods of time. Then when a child turns seventeen or eighteen and goes to apply for a school or auto loan the crime is discovered, and the teen is denied credit due to his or her negative history.  

If six year olds with mortgages and nine year olds with auto loans aren’t enough to concern you, identity thieves have also been known to use children’s social security numbers to claim other people’s children on their taxes (to gain a deduction) and to check into hospitals to undergo expensive procedures with no intention of paying their own medical bills. If your children are small you might think they aren’t at risk, but anyone with a social security number is vulnerable.

Teenagers: As your children get older and they become preteens and full blown teenagers, it’s important that you teach them the importance of keeping an eye on their stuff. Wallets, purses and even cell phones can provide identity thieves with ready access to a huge pay day (at your child’s expense). Train your children to keep a close eye on their stuff by watching for moments when they may not be looking and quietly “steal” their phones, wallets or purses and seeing how long it takes them to notice. Exercises like this can be great conversation starters that will really help drive the point home for your older children.

When your children are old enough to apply for their first job, teach them the importance about being selective about who they give their social security numbers and other personal information to. Help them memorize their own social security numbers instead of carrying their cards with them and train them to ask all potential employers how their private information will be protected. What may start out as an innocent first job could turn into a real nightmare if your child’s personal information gets hijacked by an identity thief who has been lurking in the background just waiting for the right victim to come along.   

College Students: College students comprise the single largest demographic (34%) of all identity theft victims. Increased amounts of credit card offers, communal living that makes information easily accessible and universities that use social security numbers as a means of identifying students are just a few of the many ways students are being put at risk. Commonly students mistakenly assume that they don’t have anything to steal because they don’t have any money. But identity thieves aren’t always after money you may have. Instead they are after credit you have access to. Since college students generally have no more than one credit card and a student loan or two, they are prime targets for id theft because they have clean records. And, on top of that, their identities are usually pretty easy to steal.

• 50% of college students receive pre-approved credit card offers in the mail daily.
• Only 33% of college students reconcile their checkbooks each month.
• 48% of college students have their grades posted by social security number.
• Since January 2005 approximately 8 million students, faculty and staff have had their information stolen as a result of negligence on behalf of a university.

The Elderly: Statistics repeatedly indicate that America’s elderly are among those at greatest risk for having their identities stolen. Older people, who can do little to protect themselves, may be more prone to falling into identity theft traps. The government knows and acknowledges this, but it doesn’t prevent them from knowingly putting the elderly in high risk situations. The Medicare and Medical systems use a beneficiary’s social security number as his or her patient identification number and print the number (in full) on the front of the medical record card. On the back of the card clear instructions are printed: “Carry this card with you when you are away from home.” Here, one government agency is clearly contradicting another as the Federal Trade Commission constantly warns consumers to never carry their social security numbers with them in their wallets because the risks of theft are simply too high.

Those working within the Medicare and Medical system acknowledge that printing full social security numbers on medical record cards does present a risk for identity theft. But they claim they cannot afford to overhaul their system. So they urge concerned card holders to simply leave their cards at home. But, if card holders go to seek treatment and forget their social security numbers, they may find themselves paying out of pocket for their hospital visit.

How to Protect Your Family

1. Be selective about what institutions you give your child’s social security number to.
From the time your children are very small there are many different legitimate people and agencies that will try to obtain your children’s personal information. Doctor’s offices, schools, daycare centers and even some recreational sports leagues all commonly ask for social security numbers or copies of a child’s birth certificate. But before you readily give out this information stop and ask yourself if it’s really necessary for each particular person or organization to have your child’s information.

In some cases, like with the doctor’s office, you will likely have to provide that information before your child can be treated. But, you can ask your doctor’s office how they dispose of and store patient information. Dumpster diving behind banks, doctor’s offices and other businesses is a common practice among identity thieves and you want to make sure that the form you are writing your child’s social security number on isn’t going to be carelessly tossed in a trashcan after the information is entered in a computer. Only give your child’s information to institutions who take the proper precautions (like shredding forms that are no longer needed) to protect your family. Schools and daycare centers will more than likely have to enroll your child even if you don’t provide a social security number so it’s a good idea to leave that field blank if you are able to. Many identity thefts occur because of dishonest employees who obtain people’s private information by snooping around in files they aren’t authorized to view at their place of work. So, the fewer places your child’s information is recorded the safer your child is.

2. Outfit your child’s dorm room with a paper shredder. Statistics prove that college students throw out all junk mail in exactly the same form it came in. Most don’t even open envelopes of pre-approved credit card offers. In some cases, college students even throw out student loan documentation or correspondences from the university containing social security numbers and other personal information without destroying it first. Dumpster diving identity thieves are strategic and will target dumpsters behind college dorm rooms or near campus mail facilities. So help the college student in your life greatly diminish his or her risk of identity theft by purchasing a shredder for him or her and explaining why it’s important to use it.

3. Teach your student the importance of reconciling his or her bank statement each month. With such a low percentage of students reconciling their bank statements each month, identity thieves have a greater chance of getting away with a crime on an existing account without ever being detected. This could create significant problems for students who keep just enough money in their bank accounts to survive. If even $50 was stolen from a bank account, and a student isn’t aware of it, an overdraft of available funds may occur resulting in fines and late fees on bills that were actually paid on time. Reconciling your bank statement and your checkbook every month is one of the quickest ways you can spot existing account fraud and stop identity thieves. Remind your student that it’s not his or her own transactions that really need to be monitored as much as it is fraudulent activity that may be going unnoticed.

4. Purchase ID Secure for each member of your family. Because some things about protecting your identity are just beyond your control, purchasing a product like ID Secure might greatly increase your peace of mind as well as the level of protection guarding your identity and the identities of those you love. For just $1 for the first month, and $12.99 a month after that, a professional identity monitoring company will use advanced web crawling technology to search the internet and public records to make sure that your social security number, credit and ATM cards and other personal information isn’t being fraudulently used in any way. ID Secure makes sure your identity is being monitored 24 hours a day seven days a week helping to keep it safe. If fraudulent activity is suspected, you will be informed immediately. You can learn more by clicking here. 

Identity theft may be the fastest growing crime in America and it may affect 10 million Americans each year. But that doesn’t mean it has to affect you or those you love. Make sure you take the appropriate steps to protect you and your family members today.

News: UK to Make Death Records Public, Combat ID Theft

The Government has taken new steps to combat identity fraud and will henceforth be releasing details of all people who have died in the UK to credit rating agencies and other vetted organisations.

Encrypted files will be sent out on a weekly basis by the General Register Office for England & Wales and equivalent bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

They will contain details of around 12,000 people who have passed away. Read more.