Online scams: Not over-sharing means women less likely to fall victim to identity theft

Women are less than half as likely as men to have their identity stolen, according to a new study by Nationwide Building Society. 

It found that just 11 per cent of women had had their identity stolen compared to nearly 23 per cent men.

The study found that women are much more likely to protect all their social media accounts with almost two thirds doing so compared to only half of men.

Women are also far less likely to have friends or followers they’ve never met and less prone to exposing personal details in public.

The research also revelated more than two thirds of people fret about having their identity stolen and used fraudulently with around one in six people having actually been targeted.

Criminals can use a stolen identity to do a number of things. Of those who had their identity stolen, a third said it had been used to order goods in their name such as a mobile phone or car.

More than a quarter said it was used to access or steal money from their accounts, while one in five said it was used to borrow money in their name via a credit card or personal loan.

Losses from card ID theft increased 86 per cent in the first six months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, from £11.5million to £21.4million, according to UK Finance, while the number of individual cases more than doubled.

Card ID theft is when a criminal uses stolen or fake documents to open a card account in someone else’s name or takes over a person’s genuine account.

>> We need YOU to help police catch the spoofing scammers 

Avoid oversharing on social media

Social media is a ripe hunting ground with seven in ten Britons admitting they share personal information on there.

Someone’s full name, age or date of birth and email address are the most common items shared, according to Nationwide’s survey.

Despite uploading information that could potentially put people at risk of identity theft, nearly a quarter have not made their social media accounts private and only visible to friends or followers.

In fact, according to Nationwide’s study, 22 per cent of profiles can be viewed by anyone.

More than three quarters don’t know how to protect their tweets, 61 per cent don’t know how to make their Instagram profile private, while nearly two in five don’t know how to make their Facebook account private.

More than half of men have friends or followers on their social media who they’ve never met while just over a third of women admit to this. 

Ed Fisher, head of fraud policy at Nationwide Building Society, said: ‘While it’s good to see that identity theft is at the front of people’s minds, our survey shows a worrying lack of steps taken by people to protect themselves.

‘We urge everyone to be vigilant by protecting their details and observing a few basic tips – don’t overshare your information unnecessarily, consider who is following your online activity, and protect your devices and accounts with both security software and strong passwords or codes that are not the same.

‘Don’t provide information to anyone contacting you unexpectedly, or respond to emails or texts requesting information, without checking carefully they are genuine.

‘Also make sure to cancel or report lost or stolen cards immediately and regularly check statements and credit files for any issues.

‘It is only by taking precautionary steps that we can hope to prevent this type of fraud from occurring. The less we give the criminals, the less chance they have of striking.

‘Our identity is precious, and criminals sometimes need only a few pieces of personal data to begin targeting you further.’

How to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft

Keep an eye on your records 

A clear sign that someone’s identity has been stolen is when unusual transactions appear on bank statements, or they receive correspondence that a loan or credit card, for example, has been opened in their name.

It’s therefore important to check bank statements for suspicious transactions and to check credit files to see if anything has been opened in your name.   

Never unnecessarily share personal details

This includes your account number, sort code, PIN, password, card reader passcodes and any one-time codes.

When giving out your account number and sort code to receive a payment, make sure you’re giving it to a trustworthy person.

And never share data, such as your PIN or a one-time code with anyone.

Use strong passwords for all your accounts

A strong password needs to be unique to each account. Try not to use the same one for different accounts like your email, bank account and insurance.

A strong password should also be at least 12 characters long, contain numbers and symbols as well as letters, and not use any of your personal information. 

That means do not use things like a relative’s name, your street address or pet’s name.

Cancel or report lost or stolen cards or other ID documents

If your card, passbook or chequebook has been lost or stolen, cancel or freeze it immediately.

If your passport, driving licence or other ID is lost or stolen, report it to the organisation it’s from straight away.

Ensure bank cards and chequebooks are kept away from shared or communal spaces whenever possible.

Protect yourself and your money online

Install virus checkers on all devices. This includes your computer, laptop, phone and tablet. 

And remember to keep them up to date by regularly checking for updates or setting them up to automatically update.

Be careful when using social media – it’s targeted by fraudsters to harvest personal financial information. 

Check your privacy settings to make sure only those you trust can view your account and posts.

Be wary when using your card in public

Whether you’re using your phone or you’re online in a public place, take care when using public Wifi and check you aren’t being listened to or that people can see your information.

Keep paper documents safe – or go paperless

If you keep paper financial records, it’s vital you only keep what’s necessary – and that it’s kept securely. Safely shred any statements and receipts you don’t need.

If possible, switch to paperless statements – the less paper lying around, the less chance your sensitive details fall into the wrong hands.

Redirect your mail when you move home

Before moving home, make a list of the companies that have your address. And make sure you update all of them as soon as you move. 

You can ask Royal Mail to redirect any post to your new address for up to a year.