What Can I Do to Protect Myself?

There are many things you can do to reduce your risk of becoming the next victim of Identity Fraud, but even if you are doing everything possible on your own to protect your identity, you can be better protected with FraudLock. No one offers more complete, proactive protection to take your security to the next level, ultimately backed by the FraudLock Total Service Guarantee.

By taking extra care of how you handle you own personal information you can drastically reduce your risk:

• Shred all personal information before throwing it away, especially bank statements, utility bills, credit and debit card receipts, pre-filled application forms and junk mail.
• If you suspect that your mail may have stopped being delivered, fraudsters may have redirected your mail. Speak to your postman or contact Royal Mail directly to enquire immediately. FraudLock members should obviously contact the Member Centre for assistance.
• Keep important documents in a secure place such as a locked draw/cabinet or preferably a safe:
  • Passports
  • Driving Licences
  • Banking Details
  • Birth Certificates
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Mortgage Documentation/Property Title Deeds
• When paying by plastic card, never let your card out of your sight to stop you from falling victim to Skimming.
• When entering you PIN number, be sure to protect the keypad from prying eyes or the possibility of a small camera strategically positioned to obtain you details.
• Check your bank and credit card statements as soon as they arrive to ensure all of the transactions are legitimate. Make sure you register for the FraudLock Statement Reminder service so that you will notice immediately if they do not arrive for any reason.
• Formally close all credit agreements / accounts you no longer require. A fraudster can very easily re-activate such accounts without your knowledge, especially if they are registered at an old address.
• Regularly update your PC Anti-Virus and Security Software.
• Be cautious when dealing with any unsolicited contact be it by telephone, fax, post, email or indeed in person. In such circumstances, never divulge your date of birth, PIN number, security password or mothers maiden name. Your bank will never contact you to verify your details in this way. If necessary, insist that you will call them back utilising a phone number that you know to be genuine.
• Avoid using your mother’s maiden name as a security password as it can be easily discovered by a fraudster.
• Use different passwords and PIN numbers for different accounts always avoiding obvious sequences such as your year of birth or famous events (1066 or 1966!!).
• Limit the personal information you put on any Social Networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace®.
• When moving home, contact the FraudLock team for specialist advice and assistance.