New ID theft figures released
New statistics on ID theft - where fraudsters impersonate a victim to apply for a credit card or other products - have been released.
The UK's fraud prevention service Cifas has found the number of times individuals living at addresses in different police force areas have been victims of impersonation.
According to the results, the likelihood of being a victim of impersonation or account takeover is highest for residents of Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and the Thames Valley.
Targets of credit card fraud and other types of account takeover are concentrated particularly in the south of the UK.
Peter Hurst, Cifas chief executive, said: "CIFAS Members and the police have viewed the rise in impersonations and account takeovers with concern, and these figures help to highlight the areas with the highest number of victims. The problems that fraud poses to society are considerable, and the remote nature of this crime (where fraudsters can be at the opposite end of the country from their victims) exacerbates the problems faced by the police when dealing with fraud."
A recent study by Cifas has also revealed that Greater London is a key hotspot for fraudulent activity.
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