Firms warned over 100 per cent hike in identity fraud

Scammers are swindling millions by pretending to be someone else – and businesses are bearing the cost, say experts.

The latest bi-annual Fraud Barometer produced by KPMG reveals the level of identity fraud in 2012 more than doubled in value from the year before to £26.3m.

Anthony Pearlgood, commercial director of PHS Datashred, the national data destruction company, said: “If the last decade was about paper security, the next decade is about digital data security. Just because data is digital doesn’t mean it is any safer if protection isn’t in place. In fact, data is becoming easier for crooks to target if it is placed online, on an intranet or on devices such as USBs and laptops.”

PHS Datashred provides ten top tips on how to stop ID Fraud:

• Make sure you have a system in place to securely destroy data. 
• If you are using a shredding service, ensure that it is fully licensed and approved by the BSIA (British Security Industry Association). 
• If staff are in doubt about what is confidential, securely dispose of all paper waste and digital devices. 
• Check bank and credit card statements regularly for unusual activity. 
• Make sure your website and any internal sites are adequately protected with firewalls and protection software. 
• Ensure staff passwords and logins are secure, private and regularly changed. 
• If you move premises, ensure your mail is forwarded and customers are promptly told of the change to the correspondence address. 
• For remote workers or staff with laptops, remind them to save work on secure company servers rather than their laptop hard drive. 
• Control access to company credit cards and don’t pass on the card details to staff for one-off purchases. 
• Check your entry at Companies House for any unauthorised access or amendments.