Don’t be a victim of identity fraud. If you’re aware of the signs you can take steps to protect yourself. Keep the damage to a minimum and spot fraud early – here’s how.
Watch out for unusual transactions
Regularly check your credit card and bank statements keeping an eye out for purchases you didn’t make and charges you don’t recognise.
Keep tabs on your mail
Not received mail you were expecting? This could be a sign that it’s been re-routed to a fraudster. Make sure you take the time to check your post.
Check your credit report
Get in the habit of checking your credit report regularly. Many of your financial accounts are detailed in it. Things to look out for include:
- Searches on your report made by lenders as a result of a credit application
- Being linked to an address you’ve never lived at or don’t recognise
- Loans and accounts you didn’t apply for
With a CreditExpert or ID Plus subscription, you can also lock your Experian Credit Report to help protect yourself from fraudsters applying for credit in your name.
Be aware of other tell-tale signs
- Email confirmations for purchases you didn’t make or emails demanding payment for an account you didn’t set up
- Credit cards arriving in the post you didn’t apply for
- Bills from companies you’ve had no dealings with
- Debt collection contacting you about bills you don’t recognise
- Being told you’ve been approved or denied credit for accounts you know nothing about
- Being refused when you apply for a loan or credit card even though you know you’ve got a healthy credit score
Monitor everything that comes through the letterbox and arrives in your already jam-packed inbox. It’s worth getting organised as highlighting any suspicious activity is your first line of defence.