Young tenants 'falling victim to ID theft'

12/06/2009

Young professionals living in rented property face the highest risks of credit card fraud, it has been claimed.

CreditExpert, which specialises in preventing ID theft, suggested that the demographic most likely to fall victim to the fraud lived in shared rental accommodation, earned a "reasonable" salary and was generally "optimistic" about their future.

These Brits scored a risk rating of 223 - more than double the average score of 100.

Mail interception was seen by the firm as being more likely for this group - who change address more frequently than people who own their own home.

ID fraudsters often use lost mail to gain personal details about their victim with which to perpetrate the scams.

Darryl Bowman, director of CreditExpert, said: "Criminals are switching their focus from the wealthy to people whose details they can get hold of more easily. Because of this, each one of us needs to be aware of the dangers of ID fraud and take steps to protect our identity and stop thieves from getting access to our personal information.

"One thing you can do is regularly check your credit report so you can spot unfamiliar activity, such as a fraudulent loan application in your name."

Tags; Debt Management and Banking, Credit Card Lifestyle, Recent Graduate Debt,

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