Identity fraud
As of April 2023, identity fraud is almost 70% of fraud cases filed in the National Fraud Database.
Your personal information is valuable. With it, a scammer can take out lines of credit, access your accounts and open new ones all in your name.
In lots of cases, all fraudsters need is your full name, date of birth and address. They can get this information in a variety of ways, like taking documents from your rubbish or contacting you pretending to be a legitimate organisation and asking for your details.
Remember, keep your identity and personal information safe and secure.
Security concerns
Have a question or wish to report fraudulent activity? Please call us on:
0117 900 9000
Mon - Fri: 08:00 - 17:00
Sat: 09:30 - 12:30
or you can email us at any time.
Cases filed to the National Fraud Database (NFD) between January and June 2024
How can you spot identity theft?
There’s a lot of signs that mean you could be a victim of identity theft.
Here’s a few to watch out for:
- Important documents recently going missing (like a passport, driving licence, National Insurance card)
- Mail you’re expecting from a bank or official body hasn’t arrived
- Any unfamiliar transactions on your bank accounts
- Receiving bills or statements from accounts you haven’t opened
- Solicitors or debt collectors contact you about loans you haven’t applied for
How to protect yourself from identity theft
- Store your important documents safely
- Shred or destroy old documents containing any personal information
- Monitor your accounts and credit reports for any unfamiliar activity
- When you move house, let all the relevant companies/providers/platforms that hold your information know
What should you do if you have been a victim of identity theft?
If you think your details are at risk or already exposed, there are steps you can take.
You can regularly get copies of your personal credit file from a credit reference agency. If there are checks from financial organisations that you don’t recognise, applications might have been made using your details. The agencies might also offer a protective registration service to alert you when your details are used to apply for financial products – there will likely be a fee for this.
Keep an eye on your post – a lot of organisations send out welcome letters which should alert you if anything unexpected is happening. If you think your post is being intercepted, contact Royal Mail. If you are an existing Hargreaves Lansdown client and experience problems with your post from us, please let us know.
If your personal details have been used for fraudulent purposes (for example to open an account in your name), report it to Action Fraud if you’re in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you’re in Scotland, report it to the police. You should also contact the company who received the application directly and inform them of the situation.
Specific threats
Help with the emotional impact of fraud
If you do fall victim to fraud, this can have a huge emotional impact as well as being financially crippling. Victims can often feel embarrassed and don’t want to tell people what’s happened, even though they’re not to blame. If you need to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, you can contact Victim Support either online or via their support line on 0808 168 9111. You can also contact Samaritans at any time of the day or night on 116 123.