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The UK's fourth National Identity Fraud Prevention Week, a partnership between the Met Police and both public and private sector organisations, begins today. National Identity Fraud Prevention Week is a major awareness drive, educating consumers and businesses about the dangers of identity fraud, and the preventative steps that could and should be taken. Government figures show that identity fraud costs the economy more than £1 billion annually and independent pan-European market research, commissioned for National Identity Fraud Prevention Week, reveals that Britain suffers one of the region's highest rates of identity fraud. The survey revealed that 4.3million adults have already fallen victim. Thanks to ongoing public awareness drives, such as National Identity Fraud Prevention Week, the nation also holds the highest awareness rates, 99% of adults surveyed claimed to be aware of identity fraud and 95% realise that we are all at risk. However, 64% of British adults do not understand how they can best protect themselves against identity fraud, indicating that more needs to be done to communicate best practice in the home and work environment and to encourage the public to take advice - protecting themselves and lessening the impact of identity fraud upon the economy. Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Mawer, from the Met's Economic and Specialist Crime Command, said: "The issue of Identity theft is not something that will go away. With increasing developments in technology and constant increase in computer usage it is crucial that we continue to raise public awareness. By taking simple measures the public can protect their identity and ultimately avoid becoming a victim. This is not a victimless crime and can cause great personal distress. "The Metropolitan Police Service continues to be committed to tackling those criminal networks who commit identity fraud through both physical and on-line theft. By working together and giving simple prevention advice we can stop these criminals benefiting and committing this crime." The National Identity Fraud Prevention Week team has once again produced its invaluable 'Protecting Your Identity' guide, which is free to members of the public. For this and more information on how to protect yourself, and how to cope if you are a victim of identity fraud, visit the official campaign website, www.stop-idfraud.co.uk. Courtesy of: www.cms.met.police.uk |
