For individuals

If you’ve been affected personally by ID fraud, review the following advice.  It was introduced by the Home Office in 2007 following discussion with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the financial sector.  The intent is to reduce the level of bureaucracy involved in fraud recording and to streamline the reporting and initial investigation of such frauds.

1. Contact the National Fraud Authority: If you have been a victim, contact Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre, to report the crime and to get help and support.
2. Contact Your Creditors:  Get in touch with creditors with whom you have an account (e.g. banks, credit card companies, store cards, phone & utility companies) even if they have not been affected so that they can monitor your accounts to ensure they remain protected. Your bank, for example, is now responsible for undertaking further verification and investigation and where appropriate will report it to the police for investigation following a change in reporting procedures.
3. Contact a credit reference agency: Callcredit, Equifax or Experian provide suggested steps to resolve the situation and prevent it happening again
4. Contact CIFAS Protective Registration: If you think you have been a victim of identity theft you should consider subscribing to CIFAS
5. Protective Registration service: A notice will be placed on your credit file indicating that your name and address may be used to perpetrate identity fraud.

For businesses

Do you suspect that your company has been a victim of fraud?  If so, take these steps:

1. Report the matter to the police immediately. Corporate ID Theft is a criminal matter.
2. Notify your suppliers, vendors and partners, as well as Companies House. They may also be able to give you advice.
3. If your customer or client details have been compromised, tell them. If someone has contacted them as a ‘representative’ then this is a strong indicator that this has happened.
4. Get your company’s credit report and Companies House record and make sure they tally.
5. Keep a record of all correspondence relating to the corporate ID fraud. You may need it both to protect yourself and for any criminal investigations on your behalf.
6. Learn from it. If you had a risk management policy in place, review it. If you didn’t, then get one.