Finding out you’ve been a victim of identity fraud can be very upsetting, but there are ways you can prevent any further damage.
1. First things first: act quickly
Contact your bank(s) and lender(s) and let them know what’s happened. After they’ve completed their fraud investigations and confirmed the transaction to be fraudulent, they should be able to refund you your money.
2. Contact ActionFraud
ActionFraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. You can file a report online or talk to their specialists by calling 0300 123 2040. They’ll be able to provide you with assistance on next steps.
3. Contact Cifas - the leaders in fraud prevention
Cifas offer a ‘Protective Registration’ service which places a warning alongside your personal details that is visible to banks and lenders when you’re applying for a product or service. When banks or lenders see this warning, they’ll take extra security measures to ensure that the application is actually from you, not someone pretending to be you.
4. Monitor your ClearScore report
Your report is generated once a month, but with our ClearScore Alerts feature you’ll receive regular updates based on changes on your Equifax credit report. Keep an eye on any updates to spot suspicious activity early and take action quickly. If you don’t recognise information on your credit report, you can dispute this directly with Equifax here.
5. Contact Victim Support
Victim Support is an independent charity that helps anyone affected by crime. They provide free and confidential support 24 hours a day whether you’ve reported the crime to the police or not.