Identity theft is when someone gets your information and pretends to be you.

With your identity, they can:

• open bank accounts
• get credit cards
• apply for loans and mortgages
• claim benefits with your name
• change the address on your accounts

Ways your information can be stolen

To get your information, fraudsters can:

• look through rubbish for bills or bank statements
• use fake websites steal your personal data
• study your social media profiles
• buy the information from other criminals
• look through unwatched bags in public

Signs of identity theft

Signs that someone has your identity can be:

• bills for things you never ordered
• letters about debt that is not yours
• credit, loans, or searches on your credit report that you do not recognise
• payments you do not recognise on your bank statement
• important documents (such as passports or driving licenses) that go missing

If you want to tell us about identity theft, you can report it online, by phone, or in person.

Report it using our online form

Learn about other ways you can report a crime to us

If you think someone has stolen your identity, you should:

• contact your bank
• keep a record of all communication
• request a copy of your credit report to check information

To help protect your identity, you can:

• keep important documents in a safe place
• keep bank cards in sight when you use them
• be wary of cash point fraud
• avoid suspicious websites
• refuse to share personal details with people you do not know
• check phone numbers of suspicious callers
• shred documents before you bin them
• check bank statements for unfamiliar payments and report anything strange to your bank
• close all unused accounts
• ask the post office to send all post to your new address if you move