|
|
|
archives If you want an RSS feed try this
Sunday, October 26, 2003pseudocide : ID Theft
 The Guardian's Weekend magazine contains a thoughly frightening and compentent article on ID Theft, by Rachel Shabi.
Surprisingly, it is not actually a crime in the UK to assume another person’s identity.
The situation has become so serious that the UK Government is currently considering
whether an offence ought to be created. Currently the use of a false identity or the
adoption of another person’s identity is not a criminal offence unless it can be proved
that there was some conspiracy to commit a criminal act or fraud, or it can be proved
a criminal act took place as a consequence.
It is estimated that there are approximately 75,000 cases of identity fraud per year in the UK, costing the British economy £1.3 billion annually, of which up to £50 million was lost through benefit fraud and nearly £430 million from credit card fraud.In the USA there are some cases of people's ID being so compromised they have been forced to declare themselves legally dead, a practice known as pseudocide. Related Links Hijacked your bank balance, your identity, your life EQUIFAX SUPPORTS FTC EFFORTS TO COMBAT IDENTITY THEFT Equifax UK Web site FTC to Share ID Theft Data with Canadian Authorities IDENTITY THEFT: DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS? A guide for businesses and individuals Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS) The Prevention of Plastic & Cheque Fraud: A briefing paper NEW OFFENCE TO TACKLE ORGANISED CRIME AND TERRORISM a Home Office press briefing. posted by Robert Campbell 5:12 PM
|
