I heard on the news yesterday that one in ten people are victim to stolen identity. Most often this is because of bank statements and the like being put in the bin fully intact.
I've heard of mortgages being given based on stolen ID, credit cards, cars and much, much more.
Have you ever been a victim?
What do you do to protect yourself?

I haven't always destroyed my info in the past but the combination of bags of used kitty litter and snotty tissues might have been a deterrent.
I now rip up all credit cards apps which come through the post with frightening regularity.
I tear up letters, cut up old cards and shred bank statements and letters over 3 yrs old. otherwise they are filed.
It would be a jigsaw addicts dream :)

If someone steals your ID and gets a mortgage then who's fault is it ?

I would say it's the banks fault for not checking it realy is you.

You can't be held responsible can you ?

vehemently. there's a shredder by the front door, and anybody who phones gets 'who's calling' before I admit to being me.

Originally posted by Zebra
I tear up letters, cut up old cards and shred bank statements and letters over 3 yrs old. otherwise they are filed.
It would be a jigsaw addicts dream :)

I do this too, and am thinking of getting a shredder...

I've even started putting the ripped up bits of bank statements, and old debit cards into different bins around the flat...

Moi? Paranoid?:suspect:

Why on earth would someone take out a mortgage with a false identity? I can see that if they obtained a credit card they could buy goods and keep them, but surely a house is too traceable? You can't hide a house from the police!

K x

if someones nicks my id a runs up a credit card bill who kops for the bill?

Originally posted by kirky
if someones nicks my id a runs up a credit card bill who kops for the bill?

Normally the credit card company, and therefore us through increased interest!

K x

I had my Visa credit card cloned in Kuala Lumpur.
They waited exaclty 1 yr to the day and then started to use it Luckily they were the last items to appear on the bill at the end of the mth, so did not have time to build up more than £600.
First to appear was The happy noodle bar Kuala Lumpur.
Suspisious to say the least. when it came after Morrisons After that spirits and jewellrey. Then they were stopped and caught.
Visa paid
Hazel

everything goes through the shredder even addressed junk mail, we recently had cause to ring the police when whilst out walking we found some dumped stuff obviously pinched from a blue bin containing the name and address of someone with bills medication and bank statements with account numbers and personal detail on. it was horrifying to think that someone could use this stuff for purposes unknown. the police said they would contact the person to whom it belonged.