Identity fraud is one of the UK’s fastestgrowing crimes. According to a recent survey, nearly one in 10 UK adults believe they have fallen victim. The annual cost of identity fraud is, according to statistics published by the Government in February 2006, in the region of £1.7bn and growing. There has been high-profile coverage of the issue in the media recently, from a Panorama report on how easy it is to obtain fake European passports, to news that the Information Commissioner is investigating whether banks dump account holders’ confidential information in their ordinary waste sacks.
Identity fraud occurs where someone invents a fictitious identity or steals the identity of a person (alive or dead). A significant proportion involves credit card or mobile phone companies, but identity fraudsters are often involved in transactions which need solicitors, thus exposing the innocent solicitors to claims by the victims.
