Tips for avoiding identity theft

• Never give your personal and financial details to people you are not certain about.
• Shred all paperwork that shows your details, even if it is only the address.
• If you use the Internet make sure you have a strong, effective firewall and anti-virus protection. Never give out information from seemingly innocent requests.
• If you are unsure about a request, check with the company by telephone or by letter to make sure they are genuine.

• Be careful when entering pin numbers at cash and 'chip and pin' machines. Check nobody's looking over your shoulder as you enter your number, and don't let yourself be distracted from what you are doing.

Scams (Scheming - Crafty - Aggressive - Malicious)

Scams come in many guises - so what is the best way to avoid them?

• If you think it's too good to be true - it generally is, so don't go near it.
• If you have won a prize in a competition you never entered it will cost you in the end.
• If someone offers you a once in a lifetime investment they normally carry a risk.
• Some telephone calls notify you of a big win and ask you to call a premium rate number, generally 090 numbers. There are significant charges for these calls.
• Visit a cash machine with caution. Most machines have warnings about unusual devices attached to the machine. If you find anything suspicious don't touch it and never take upany offer of help. Report all incidents to the bank or building society.
• If a scam comes via your phone put the phone down.
• If the scam comes via email delete it straightaway.

External links

identitytheft.org.uk
The Home Office has created this website dedicated to the subject of identity theft, which has advice on what to do to protect yourself and what to do if it happens to you.

About links to other websites.