Young, single and renting? You could be an ideal target for ID theft

ID fraud is a growing issue and ID fraudsters are turning to lower income victims living in rented accommodation where their personal details are most vulnerable.

According to research from CreditExpert, those most likely to be a victim of ID fraud in the UK live in rented houses and flats in and around cities.

As Darryl Bowman, Director of CreditExpert, comments ‘Criminals are switching their focus from the wealthy to people whose details they can get hold of more easily.

Because of this, each one of us needs to be aware of the dangers of ID fraud and take steps to protect our identity and stop thieves from getting access to personal information.

One thing you can do is regularly check your credit report so you can spot unfamiliar activity, such as a fraudulent loan application in your name.’

To help you can check your credit report FREE using this link to the Credit Expert website.

The second largest group targetted by the ID fraudsters are young, single people and home shares working in service industries and living in flats rented predominantly from the council or housing associations.

A key target of the ID fraudsters are shared hallways which are easy targets for mail interception.

Another big issue for those who rent is that they often move regularly and do not ensure their mail is redirected, leaving them exposed to ID fraud using their previous address. If you do move, make sure you do immediately advise people and redirect your post.

In 2008, over 60% of ID fraud discovered they had become a victim by noticing fraudulent activity on their credit report.

It might just be worth getting a FREE credit report just to check that there’s not been any unfamiliar activity.