BE AWARE OF ID FRAUD not only WHEN MOVING HOUSE!

Moving to a new property seems to be a happy experience. Who does not like changes? Nowadays, when everyone became so ambitious and is running after millions, moving house sounds like a nice new step in life. Additionally, it is good to be involved in something besides working all the time. There are many pleasurable activities involved in moving house, such as designing the new place, arranging all the items and furniture inside, shopping, etc. However, you must remember about the great risks when moving!

A FEW WORDS ABOUT ID FRAUD
As the recent researches show, ID fraud is one of the fastest growing crime in the UK. Survey conducted by “Which?” magazine in 2004 found that three out of four adults had been ID fraud victims or know somebody who had their Identity stolen. It means people are in danger not only when they are changing address! It is unbelievable what huge damage it cause, once your ID was stolen. Although you might be able to sort out the whole thing with your bank, it is very hard to have a good credit again. It means you may have even problems to take mortgage fro your new house for years! Fraudsters are using various methods to obtain someone’s details. Looking for more info regarding ID fraud, I found out interesting article on BBC website. Professor Martin Gill interviewed identity thieves to check what methods they use. I only wanted to warn people that are moving house how important it is to redirect the mail but after reading all these materials, I actually realised how risky it is even in the present address without moving anywhere. It is all because we are not aware of the problem and how easy it is for someone to just go and take almost everything we have worked so hard for. There are many thieves that are honestly lazy and do not look even for complicated methods. We all are so about hi-tech and internet, while so many of them use the following methods:
Look for flats with shared mail boxes – so simple, isn’t it?!
Pay delivery people to get someone else’s letters – my God! It’s two crimes in one!
Search our rubbish bins – and I thought shredders are money waste
Steal our handbags with all the important documents – ok, this one is only for women, gays and transvestites. However, if you have a girlfriend, beware!

WHAT TO DO WHEN MOVING HOUSE?
First of all, plan it well! Sit and write down all the organisations you MUST inform about moving. Obviously, among them there will be DVLA, gas and electricity provides, etc. It is quite simple. Most often you have to call them or just go to the website to provide all the details of the new property. However, majority of these institutions require a notice period of at least two weeks. Yes, that’s why I wrote plan it! Unfortunately, you cannot leave them for the last moment. The best thing is to inform them well in advance (I’d say one month). I’ve heard there are big delays with some of them. Imagine waiting for TV licence or internet provider two or three weeks! Coming back to the point, do not worry that you might be forgetting something. The last thing to do before moving is redirecting your post to the new address. Royal Mail has this fantastic service in offer. Unfortunately, it is paid service, but what means a few pounds (to be accurate £7.10 per month) comparing to the millions and billions in your bank account? This is easy and you can do it online! Simply go to http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/product1?catId=400040&mediaId=600008
and follow the instructions.

HOW TO PREVENT BECOMING A VICTIM
I guess this one is the most important! Having read people’s scary experiences, I made a research and pointed out few ways to secure your identity:
Do not use mother’s maiden name and date of birth as a password. They are in documents available for the public and easy to find.
Do not use the same password in different accounts.
Check your bank records on regular basis.
Never! Once again, NEVER give your details on the phone. Even when they say they are calling from your bank!
Use services from credit reference agencies, so that you can check your credit report regularly. To do this you can log in to Call Credit (http://www.callcredit.plc.uk/), Equifax (http://www.equifax.co.uk/) or Experian (http://www.experian.co.uk/) and apply online or call provided number. It is not free, but costs are no more than few pounds.
Buy a shredder! It is not a waste of money!

I REALISED MY IDENTITY WAS STOLEN. WHAT NOW?
Oh well, act quick!
Report it to police (tell about all stolen belongings)
If you lost your driving licence you must quickly inform DVLA and ask for replacement. You can do it online (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/MotoringDecisionTrees/DuplicateLicences/replacement_driving_licence.dsb ), on the phone (0870 240 0009) and by post (the form available at the post office). They will charge you £22.00.
If you realise that you became a victim because of a cheque, credit card or online banking you must inform your financial institution. Then they will be responsible for further investigation.
If it was not connected with financial institution, but any other, contact them as soon as possible and they will advice you on the next step.
If you suspect your mail fraud, contact Royal Mail (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm ) and they will investigate your case.
Consider registering with CIFAX. If you have any reason to be worried about your ID, they will make sure all the applications for loans, claims and others are checked properly, so that you can feel safe.
Finally, if you are a witness of a crime, call Crime Stoppers (0800 555 111). You can help reducing the crime in the UK and it’s 100% anonymous. Well, it’s up to you.

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