Your identity and personal infoprmation are valuable.  Criminals can find out your personal details and use them to open bank accounts and obtain credit cards, loans, state benefits and documents such as passports and driving licences in your name.  If your identity is stolen, you may have difficulty obtaining loans, credit cards or a mortgage until the matter is sorted out.

The following are methods of protecting yourself against identity theft:

• Keep a note of any emergency numbers you should call in case your credit cards are stolen or lost.
  
• Cancel credit or debit cards immediately they are mislaid.
  
• Keep your personal information in a safe place, preferably in a lockable drawer or cabinet at home.  Consider storing valuable financial documents (such as share certificates) with your bank.
  
• Don't casually throw away documents such as bills, receipts, credit or debit card slips or even unwanted post in your name.  Destroy unwanted documents, preferably using a shredder.
  
• Check statements as soon as they arrive.  If any unfamiliar transactions are listed, contact the bank or company concerned immediately.
  
• Never give personal or account details to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.  Be aware that a bank will never contact you to ask for your personal identification number (PIN) or for a whole security number or password.  Keep them secure.
  
• Don't use the same password for more than one account and never use banking passwords on other websites.  Using different passwords makes it harder for criminals to access your accounts.  Avoid using your mother's maiden name or family dates of birth as passwords.  Keep passwords safe and never record or store them in a way which leaves them open to theft, such as in your purse or wallet.

If you think you are a victim, act quickly to make sure that you are not liable for financial losses caused by criminals using your identity by reporting any lost or stolen documents to the organisation which issued them.

Further information can be obtained from www.identitytheft.org.uk