Young renters have highest risk of identity fraud
05/05/2015
People who are in rented accommodation face a much higher risk of having their identity stolen, according to credit reference agency Experian.
Tenant’s details usually work out a lot easier to steal, thanks to shared hallways and easily accessible rental properties. People living in rented accommodation are also more likely to use mobile phone and online services more often, and as a result their personal information is more easily accessible for thieves to find.
Digital savvy young adults are increasingly being targeted by identity thieves, according to fraud prevention service Cifas. They also advised that the hotspots for identity fraud are London, Leicester, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow.
Young tenants are victims of one in six fraud identity cases. Wealthy couples were next on the list of victims, with this group particularly targeted in card and loan fraud, Experian said. Older people living in relatively inexpensive homes with the mortgage paid in full are least likely to be targeted.
Experian's findings are based on information from fraud prevention system National Hunter, which Experian operates on behalf of members. It enables financial institutions to cross-match applications against more than 100 million previous application records to weed out potential frauds.
"[The findings] highlight the need for people to think about how they protect their personal information both on and off line," said Nick Mothershaw, of Experian.
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