Identity theft can strike anyone at any time

Tips to help you avoid identity theft

• If you've moved house recently make sure you instruct the Post Office to redirect your mail to your new address for at least a year. Notify your credit card company, bank, and any other organisations that you deal with as soon as possible.
• Make sure you shred any discarded bills, statements, wage slips or even junk mail that contain your name and address.
• Opt out of having your details available on the edited electoral roll can help to keep your details safe.
• Don't let your debit/credit cards out of sight.
• When online never type credit card numbers, passwords, or any other confidential information into a web site unless its address begins with https and the browser displays the "closed padlock" symbol.
• Register payment cards Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode. It adds another layer to online security and makes it harder to fall victim to online fraud.
• Avoid carrying out transactions on public or shared computers.
• Also always check receipts against bank statements and contact their bank if concerned.
• When posting information on a social networking site, or your CV on a jobsite, don't include personal details such as your home address and date of birth.
• To protect yourself from online fraud make sure your antivirus software subscription is up to date, and that your computer is configured to automatically download and install any updates.
• Never write down your PIN or passwords as they can be used by criminals to commit acts of ID fraud.
• It is a good idea to vary your PINs and passwords, so that if you do happen to lose your wallet, it will be much harder for the PINs to be cracked.
• Understanding your credit report is really important. It's one of the best ways to determine whether identity fraud has been committed against you.
• Be wary of unsolicited telephone calls from banks, credit card companies and other retailers or financial organisations.
• You should never click on a link in an email from a company you don't recognised or one asking for your personal information. 'Phishing' is an email scam where a fraudster tries to trick you into disclosing personal details.