Recently several people in the estate have been affected by an identity theft fraud. The crooks use your name and address to open an account in your name with an online retailer. They choose an online retailer who does not carry out security checks very carefully. After a short while they will order something valuable such as an expensive laptop online. Using the tracking information they know when the laptop will be delivered and either follow the courier van or keep watch at your house. Most people will take in the laptop and sign for it. Half an hour after the laptop has been delivered one of the crooks dressed as a courier knock on the door and tells you that there has been a mistake. They are very convincing and many people hand the item over. The next you may know about it is when you receive a statement showing a charge of several hundred pounds.
There are several ways you can avoid the problems.
1. If you receive a statement of account from a company you have not opened an account with then ring the number on the statement and ask for the fraud department.
2. If a courier delivers something you are sure you have not ordered then insist they take it back. It will then be returned to the company.
3. If you do take a parcel addressed to you (because someone else in the house might have ordered it for you) and someone comes to ask for it back then refuse to return it and contact the police and the company that sent it.
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