Identity Theft – How risk aware are you ??

@forumhostpb wrote:

I’m sure that most of you have heard of identity theft and the dangers that it can pose to your financial health – but how aware are you REALLY of the ways in which your confidential information can leak out???

I pose this question because today I’ve just opened a letter from a credit card provider offering me a balance transfer service of only 7.92% plus a 3% handling fee.

OK leaving aside the ridiculous interest rate (loads are offering 0%) what caught my eye was the letter itself. At the top it referred to “Credit Card Ending **** (and gave the last 4 numbers of my credit card.

OK no big deal you may think. No real security issue there … only the last 4 digits …. not much use to a fraudster.

HOWEVER, on the ‘Balance Transfer Request’ form at the bottom, it listed my full name, my full address and believe it or not the full and complete credit card number – all 16 digits of it.

If I had simply torn this in half or crumpled it up and tossed it in the bin – as you do – I’m giving away invaluable information to any fraudster that wants to misuse my credit card. All they need to do is grab the paper litter from my house (we conveniently separate it now) and they have all they need.

So how many of you would have done the same and simply thrown this type of circular away without thought – instead of shredding it first?????

Do you even own or use a shredder???

BTW – It’s now shredded and unreadable.

HOW VERY DARE YOU. you have nicked my wasp and my p ! you identity thief you ! take that.. :shock:

I thought I’d had mine stolen, but I left it on the bus.

@forumhostpb wrote:

I’m sure that most of you have heard of identity theft and the dangers that it can pose to your financial health – but how aware are you REALLY of the ways in which your confidential information can leak out???

I pose this question because today I’ve just opened a letter from a credit card provider offering me a balance transfer service of only 7.92% plus a 3% handling fee.

OK leaving aside the ridiculous interest rate (loads are offering 0%) what caught my eye was the letter itself. At the top it referred to “Credit Card Ending **** (and gave the last 4 numbers of my credit card.

OK no big deal you may think. No real security issue there … only the last 4 digits …. not much use to a fraudster.

HOWEVER, on the ‘Balance Transfer Request’ form at the bottom, it listed my full name, my full address and believe it or not the full and complete credit card number – all 16 digits of it.

If I had simply torn this in half or crumpled it up and tossed it in the bin – as you do – I’m giving away invaluable information to any fraudster that wants to misuse my credit card. All they need to do is grab the paper litter from my house (we conveniently separate it now) and they have all they need.

So how many of you would have done the same and simply thrown this type of circular away without thought – instead of shredding it first?????

Do you even own or use a shredder???

BTW – It’s now shredded and unreadable.

thanks for the advise forum chappie. i doff me flat cap your way. my sons housemate has had his i.d stolen. aparrently t has been traced to a garage in birmingham ! [from west yorks] he has bought over 300 quids worth of tat on line in the time it took him to realise and stop his cards etc. he found out the morning after a night out and stopped everything.if he hadnt have been going back to base in the morning he would have still been in bed till lunch. hes a soldier. you cant believe how much trouble he is in right now.id theft can be deadly as well as costly.