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ID crime is easier for fraudsters
16 June 2008
Consumers should take extra care when banking online as identity fraud is easier for criminals, claims a finance advice company.
Fraudsters are more likely to attempt identity crime online as it is an easier way to obtain money compared with breaking into a house or robbing a bank, according to Equifax.
Neil Munroe, external affairs director at Equifax, said: "It gives them a very quick, low cost method of stealing money from people, as opposed to some of the other types of activity that they may have previously got involved in."
People should be wary when using the internet for financial transactions, as the development of internet banking has made online consumers a target, claims Equifax.
"We are all a lot more credit active and a lot more active on the web and fraudsters have realised that there is a lot of information around," said Mr Munroe.
According to CIFAS, there were 77,500 reported cases of identity theft in 2007, up from the 9,000 reported in 1999.
