Identity Fraud at Abbey

Here's a description of what I have in place to protect myself from ID Theft. Try it, it could save you a lot of hassel in future.

Identity Theft is rife, personal information and documentation either stolen or forged is of great value to the criminal element. Loans can be taken out, credit cards obtained and money laundered. Victims of ID Theft in many cases are treated as suspects. ID fraud can cost victims large sums of money and lots of time can be spent trying to clear their good name and putting things right.

Supposing there's a simple effective way of:

Deterring ID Theft. Rendering personal information, genuine or counterfeit worthless. Protecting yourself by clearing your good name if you are a victim. A means of aiding identification of any perpetrator.

I believe I have a system in operation that meets the above criteria.

Utilising the Credit Reference Agencies (CRA) databases I've put a Notice of Correction on my file stating that whenever my signature is required for a financial product or service I will authenticate my signature with my ?Thumbprint.' Failure by me, or anyone pretending to be me, to comply with this instruction should result in the product or service being withheld. (A Notice of Correction is the first item that is seen by anyone accessing a credit file)

(I carry a personal ?Thumbprint,' pad with me at all times. These pads leave no mess on my thumb, yet produce a perfect print. If this practice becomes widespread then there is no reason whatsoever, why pads should not be readily available at every bank, post office or anywhere that credits granted, or where a signature is required for a financial product or service).

Banks/Lenders/Credit Card Companies when presented with an application in my name where my personal details are used view my Credit File and the above information is readily available. They then have a simple decision to make ? Is there a print on the application form? YES Process application.

NO Reject the application.

If per chance a crook obtains my details, and is aware that I use this procedure they will need to submit their print to make a successful application. If they decide to do this then an auditable trail is established which will aid identification of the perpetrator while at the same time clearing my good name.

Links

Radio 4 (Moneybox) covered this in March of this year:

Taking Identity Fraud in Hand:

The Industries Advice to Consumers:

Hope this is of use to you or any other reader. James

"James" wrote

So, if your own genuine info is worthless - how do *you* transact financial business?

"James" wrote

Do you think that, if you "forgot" to tell the product/service provider this - and they didn't read your NoC (after all, there is no reason why they

Its a interesting idea, but what do you think the chances of it ever getting seen by a human are ?

Unless the application is borderline it will be either accepted or rejected by a computer in most cases. the computer will authenticate you based on the information suppllied and a well prepared fraudster will have no problem getting the credit, especially in the case of in store credit or credit card applications.

Peter

Do you carry a tin foil hat too?

Believe me, this practice won't become widespread. In Uxbridge most shops already have posters declaring that they'll ask for a thumbprint if you use a cheque there. Sadly, I've not used a cheque (other than for sending in the post) so I've no idea whether or not they actually follow through with this.

I'm puzzled, however, as to the connection between a contract in a shop or for a service, and your credit details. Do you think that when you buy something from the internet, through the post or by mail order that the people who would receive your money will do a credit reference check? What makes you think that?

They had this in Exmouth quite a few years ago, they've stopped doing it, I can only assume it wasn't worth the cost (in time, annoyed people etc.)

Jim.

"Its a interesting idea, but what do you think the chances of it ever getting seen by a human are ?"

The first thing any lender/bank etc sees when they access your credit file is the Notice of Correction. This IMHO should make them more vigilant with your details. It also puts the ball in their court when it comes to decision making.

The Protective Registration System allows consumers to password protect their credit files. Details at:

I added the two URLs to demonstrate that 'Thumbprinting.' works. Shops using 'Thumbprinting,' ask people presenting cards or cheques to voluntreer their print. If you think about this, this simple action is protecting the genuine cardholder. If that card were stolen then the genuine cardholder can easily prove they never made the transaction. If it were cloned ditto. This is a deterrent which protects genuine cardholders. I should imagine 'Thumbprinting/' is a terrific alternative for those retailers who can't afford to implement the new 'Chip and PIN,' or who won't be C&P compliant by 1 Jan 2005. I wonder if 'Thumbprinting.' will be used as a back up to C&P when it malfunctions, or used with non C&P cards, or used during 'the honeymoon period,' when consumers forget their PIN and are allowed to sign?

The difference with my system is it's not voluntary, anyone pretending to be me has to submit a print if they want to use my personal details (stolen or counterfeit) to open a bank account, get a loan, a credit card or launder money. I am in the driving seat. I suggest that the system I use achieves the following:

1. Deterrent - proven
2. Protects individuals. Where fraud occurs, victims are often treated like suspects. This system prevents this.
3. A trail is established if fraud is committed. The perpetrator leaves their unique biometric - their print.

The following is from the Moneybox article: Neil Munroe is a Director at Equifax, one of the three credit reference agencies which Jamie contacted. He says Jamie's scheme is fine in principle, but points out it could delay any genuine application he makes:

Nobody has ever explained why it could delay any application I make or why it should. The only additional check that's made is, has the consumers supplied a signed and supplied a print? Yes or No. If by remote chance that application was fraudulent, then and only then would the print be given to the police.

On the other hand many readers may think that security overrides speed.

James

"James" wrote

(1) Have you ever forgotten to give your print, or deliberately tried not giving it - when purchasing anything on your credit card? It's not going to stop the cashier accepting the transaction - so even if it were a fraudster using your card, the transaction would stil go through (and

(2) How *do* you provide your print when you buy online, through mail order or by 'phone?

1. You are confusing the system I use, to protect myself from ID theft and 'Thumbprinting,' used to deter card & cheque fraud.

1. You are confusing this issue too.

Just a thought, can you envisage having a chipped card (credit or debit) which held information on the chip to say that the cardholder subscribed to 'Thumbprinting.' When the card was read at point of sale rather than asking the cardholder to enter a PIN or Sign a transaction slip - why not give a prompt to Sign & Print?

Such a card would be totally useless to crooks, thus achieving what plastic was supposed to do in the first instance - make it safer than carrying cash.

When purchasing goods via the internet/mail order or by telephone with this type of card, vendors would be made aware that the cardholder had signed up to 'Thumbprinting.' A simple signature & print at point of delivery would stop and awful lot of fraud (theft of goods).

Card issuers fraud departments could concentrate on the illegal transfer of funds from one account to the other.

Comments welcome on the above idea.

Like I said, most decision making is done by a computer, which in all likely hood will ignore the Notice of Correction

In what way, the average identity fraudster will not be aware you have done this and will make the application without it, so no deterrent at all. In fact from the amount of usenet posts you make you are more likely to attract somebody trying to do it to prove you wrong.

It proves they didn't thumbprint the form, but not that they had nothing to do with the fraud. Just like handwriting analysis would prove they didn't sign the form, so not much extra protection there.

Not really unless it is printed in front of a witness. Given that most people are not trained in fingerprint analysis, it could be anything that looks like a fingerprint, eg. from the palm, toe, foot, or someone they have convinced to stick their print on the form, like a child. So, about as much of a trail as a signature.

Simple, it is not normal, anything abnormal will probably have to be checked by a manager which will delay it.

Also the person entering the data from your application is unlikely to be the one making the decision, so when they see your Notice of Correction they will have to go and dig out the original form. (or in my opinion either grant the credit regardless or decline it for looking like a customer that will be more touble than they are worth)

Peter

"James" wrote

That is not the "solution" you are using. Under this new system, everyone would know that thumbprinting was required.

Under the system you are currently using, people won't always know that you expect a thumbprint to be required - hence lack of print can hardly make the contract void, now can it?

"James" wrote

What about purchase of services (eg ISP / web hosting) - or even downloaded software - etc, rather than goods?

I don't have any likely hoods. (or did you mean likelihood?).

Using 'Thumbprinting,' with a card is a suggestion. Sure the more 'crooks,' that were aware of this then the safer you'd be. It is widely recognised that a PIN based system will result in more incidences of ID Theft, robbery at or near ATMs. Lots of people will change their cards to operate with the one PIN, a crooks reward will be greater than ever. Safety in Numbers - what do you think?

Under the system I am using at present it should be impossible to obtain credit or plastic cards, open a bank account etc without a print. Anyone subscribing to my system and working together with the financial industry can beat fraud!

I did say when taking deliver of goods bought via the internet or by mail order etc. It's not a cure - all system.

James

"James" wrote

Recognised by who?

"James" wrote

Howso? If a crook uses *your* ID details to get any of the above financial products, and the automatic checks on your credit history all sail through happily because you have such a good credit record - then no *person* will end up reading your 'Notice of Correction' (the business would be accepted automatically). So a thumbprint would not be requested, as the financial instritution would have no idea *you* wanted that (the crook certainly wouldn't volunteer this info!).

Now suppose that *you* had done this instead of some crook - and forgot to provide your thumbprint. Do you honestly think that the contract with the financial instritution would be void simply because of the 'Notice of Correction' which they didn't read??

"James" wrote

Is there *any* financial institution at the moment that "subscribes" to your system??