Youngsters warned of identity theft dangers

According to the latest figures from YouGov, cases of identity theft have risen by 70 per cent since 2006 and, according to the website iammoving.com, 18 to 29 year-olds are the most vulnerable to the crime as they are more likely to change addresses.

Notably, students who move to attend university and then move out of halls into private accommodation are liable to forget to register the changes to their personal data accordingly, making it imperative that businesses have authentication procedures in place to minimise the risk of fraud.

“After years of living in my student house we were still receiving all kinds of correspondence addressed to previous tenants – including bank statements and credit card applications,” the website quoted Manchester Metropolitan University student Laura Thom as saying.

“We filled countless bin bags and had no other option but to give it all to the landlord as no forwarding addresses were left. It makes you realise how easy it is for thieves to steal identification.”

The report coincides with National Identity Fraud Prevention Week which aims to raise awareness of the crime and highlight the importance of data authentication.

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