It takes, on average, seven months to realise identity thieves have stolen your identity. That’s 213 days a criminal can use your details illegally. When you find out, it can take another three months to get your identity back; another 91 days. In extreme cases the process can take years to resolve. So reports the Business Crime Reduction Centre (BCRC), which is holding a free training event at Aspire, Leeds on November 29. Attendees will be given the knowledge to protect themselves against identity theft and associated scams.
The effects of identity theft are distressing but if you think identity theft only happens to individuals? Think again. Thieves are increasingly targeting businesses for quick and easy profit, with devastating consequences. In fact, Action Fraud, the UK’s fraud reporting centre claims just 5pc of people are confident that businesses treat their personal information securely, so that it does not accidentally fall into fraudsters’ hands.
Identity theft is no longer only a consumer crime. Thieves have learned that businesses also have identities that can be stolen, and unsuspecting businesses can be very easy targets with the potential to steal even more money and goods.
Action Fraud will attend the event to explain its impact. Joining them the West Yorkshire Police and the Yorkshire and Humber Fraud Forum who will contribute to the explanation of identity theft and linked scams acting as a sobering reality check to businesses
BCRC’s Director David Ransom said: “The rapid growth of technology and business’ use of the internet has provided criminals with many more opportunities, plus a range of new techniques with which to commit the crime.”
To register for the event call: 0114 275 1283 or visit: www.bcrc-uk.org/events
About the BCRC
The Business Crime Reduction Centre is delivered with Yorkshire-based charity, People United Against Crime and South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Humberside Police forces. BCRC is part financed by the European Union through the Yorkshire and Humber European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007-2013.
