Women are leaving themselves particularly vulnerable to ID fraud simply because of what they carry in their handbags, a new survey by the credit reference agency Equifax has shown.
The survey revealed that 80% of women carry their credit and debit cards around with them at all times.
While this figure alone might not be surprising, when combined with the 22% who said they also keep their National Insurance number and 32% their receipts in their bag, it becomes clear why women's bags are such a prime target for identity thieves.
"Information is a prime asset these days", confirmed Neil Munroe, a Director at Equifax. "And, according to our survey, women are carrying around enough information for a fraudster to apply for loans, mortgages, credit cards and bank accounts in their name."
More worryingly, the survey also revealed that 80% of women carry their keys along with proof of their home address, giving fraudsters instant access to their home and compromising their personal safety.
And what makes these findings particularly alarming is the fact that 23% of women who said they had been victims of ID fraud, said it was as a result of personal belongings being lost or stolen.
Munroe continues: "While everyone knows they should cancel credit and debit cards and mobile phone contracts if their bag is stolen, they may be less aware of the other items in their bag which could lead to them becoming victims of fraud."
Top 10 items you shouldn't keep in your bag
1. Cheque Book - Gives ID thieves account numbers and sort codes, and if you leave the address form on the front, home address too!
2. Credit Card Receipts - Could reveal card numbers and provide access to an account by using information on recent transactions.
3. Payslip - Reveals NI number, address, employer and salary details, ideal for fraudsters!
4. Bank Statements - Could be used to open further accounts or for accessing personal information.
5. Utility Bill - Could be used for ID verification when applying for credit or opening up a bank account.
6. Driving Licence - Provides valuable personal information such as address and date of birth.
7. Gym & other Membership Cards - These could potentially give access to personal information.
8. Mobile Phones - Surprisingly, many people store PINs and other personal information on their phone.
9. Passport - Could be used to create a new identity for ID verification.
10. Diary - Holds personal details and could reveal passwords.
What to do if your handbag is stolen
Equifax advises that if someone has their handbag stolen they should take the following steps:
• Cancel all credit and debit cards
• Inform their bank
• Check their bank statements for any unusual transactions
• Obtain a copy of their credit file from a credit reference agency as this will show up any unusual activity
• Register with a monitoring service such as Equifax Credit Watch, which will alert them of any changes to their credit file.
• They can also notify CIFAS, which runs a Protective Registration service so that a notice can be placed on their credit file informing lenders that they may be at risk of identity fraud. Tel: 0870 010 2091.
Munroe concludes; Apart from the anxiety and stress caused to victims of ID Fraud, it can take up to 30 hours of phone calls to deal with banks, credit card companies and other lenders in order to get details corrected.
This incurs enormous personal time, effort, distress and cost to the victim. Prevention is definitely better than cure.
Advice is that people should only take out with them what they absolutely need for the day, and women in particular should always keep a close eye on their handbag, in order to minimise the risk of falling victim.
To view your personal credit information that lenders are currently basing their credit decisions on, apply now for a free online credit report from Experian, the UK's largest credit reference agency. You will also receive a 30-day free trial to the CreditExpert Monitoring Service.
Click here for a free 30-day trial and a free copy of your Experian credit report
