Identity crime makes up large proportion of frauds

New data from CIFAS reveals that six out of every ten frauds recorded on its database in 2013 were dependent on the abuse of identity details.

The Fraud Prevention Service also says that the use of fictitious identities or the abuse of identity details to obtain a product or service in the name of another person without their consent accounted for 49% - well over 100,000 - of all confirmed frauds recorded in the UK during 2013.

Identity fraud like this has long been an issue, but there have now been over 100,000 confirmed cases recorded every year since 2009. In addition, since 2008, the use by online offenders of data such as passwords and emails to hijack an existing account has also increased significantly - demonstrating, CIFAS believes, that recent patterns of online financial crime can now be considered the ‘norm’ in terms of fraud.

CIFAS Communications Manager, Richard Hurley, comments: “While it is true that, without the internet, organised criminals would still find a way to commit such frauds, these figures prove more than ever before that fraud is now a cyber industry.”

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