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| Mobile phone ID fraud 'increases' | Mobile phone ID fraud 'increases' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| There has been a rise in the number of mobile phone accounts being cloned or taken over by criminals, figures show. | There has been a rise in the number of mobile phone accounts being cloned or taken over by criminals, figures show. |
| According to the UK fraud prevention service Cifas, the practice is one of the growth areas of identity theft. | |
| It has seen a 74% rise to 633 cases in the first half of the year, compared with the same period in 2008. | It has seen a 74% rise to 633 cases in the first half of the year, compared with the same period in 2008. |
| After obtaining personal details by theft or deception, the fraudsters can add additional handsets to accounts and use them to run up large bills. | After obtaining personal details by theft or deception, the fraudsters can add additional handsets to accounts and use them to run up large bills. |
| Cifas members include banking, insurance and telecommunication firms. | Cifas members include banking, insurance and telecommunication firms. |
| Richard Hurley from the service said: "In the first six months of 2008 we had 364 proven cases of accounts being taken over, and 899 by the year's end. | Richard Hurley from the service said: "In the first six months of 2008 we had 364 proven cases of accounts being taken over, and 899 by the year's end. |
| "In the first six months of this year we've confirmed 633 cases. | |
| "It is an area where the increasing sophistication of technology makes mobile phones a status symbol and therefore a boom area for fraud." | "It is an area where the increasing sophistication of technology makes mobile phones a status symbol and therefore a boom area for fraud." |
| He said its latest figures may represent a fraction of the problem's true scale as Cifas members only file cases of confirmed fraud, not suspected cases. | He said its latest figures may represent a fraction of the problem's true scale as Cifas members only file cases of confirmed fraud, not suspected cases. |
| Rising bills | Rising bills |
| Many mobile phone operators will send new phones anywhere requested by a customer and account holders can often be unaware their identity has been abused until they notice increases in direct debits. | Many mobile phone operators will send new phones anywhere requested by a customer and account holders can often be unaware their identity has been abused until they notice increases in direct debits. |
| Mr Hurley says there are things you can do to protect against fraud | Mr Hurley says there are things you can do to protect against fraud |
| The Mobile Data Association says there are now 65 million handsets in the UK. | The Mobile Data Association says there are now 65 million handsets in the UK. |
| While that gives fraudsters a vast number of potential victims, Cifas says most attempts do fail. | While that gives fraudsters a vast number of potential victims, Cifas says most attempts do fail. |
| But when criminals do succeed in cloning an account serious problems can follow. | But when criminals do succeed in cloning an account serious problems can follow. |
| 'No idea' | 'No idea' |
| It happened to Rik and Aimee Brown from March in Cambridgeshire. | It happened to Rik and Aimee Brown from March in Cambridgeshire. |
| Tattooist Rik explained: "We both [have] got phones, so were supposed to have two lines, but months later I was doing all my end of year tax paperwork and found a third with some other woman's name and address linked to it. | Tattooist Rik explained: "We both [have] got phones, so were supposed to have two lines, but months later I was doing all my end of year tax paperwork and found a third with some other woman's name and address linked to it. |
| "But it was coming off our direct debits." | "But it was coming off our direct debits." |
| Aimee, 26, added: "I had noticed my direct debits going up and up, and at first I just thought I was going over my monthly plan, or that the kids were using the internet on my phone so I kept paying." | Aimee, 26, added: "I had noticed my direct debits going up and up, and at first I just thought I was going over my monthly plan, or that the kids were using the internet on my phone so I kept paying." |
| The couple are still trying to sort the issue out with their mobile phone provider. | The couple are still trying to sort the issue out with their mobile phone provider. |
| The best way to avoid being a victim is to take care with your personal data. Check all your bills very carefully, and if they don't turn up chase them up Experian's Consumer Education Manager James Jones | The best way to avoid being a victim is to take care with your personal data. Check all your bills very carefully, and if they don't turn up chase them up Experian's Consumer Education Manager James Jones |
| Victims can face the tricky task of explaining to their service providers that they have no knowledge of fraudulent activity. Worse still, they may need to repair a negative impact to their credit rating. | Victims can face the tricky task of explaining to their service providers that they have no knowledge of fraudulent activity. Worse still, they may need to repair a negative impact to their credit rating. |
| Experian, one of the UK's three credit reference agencies, says it has seen a rise in the number of people seeking to repair bad credit scores caused by fraudsters. | Experian, one of the UK's three credit reference agencies, says it has seen a rise in the number of people seeking to repair bad credit scores caused by fraudsters. |
| Experian's Consumer Education Manager James Jones told Newsbeat: "We can help, but it can take time to remove. Usually it takes about three to four weeks, but in some cases it can take months. | Experian's Consumer Education Manager James Jones told Newsbeat: "We can help, but it can take time to remove. Usually it takes about three to four weeks, but in some cases it can take months. |
| "That can be a real problem for people if, for instance, in that time they are trying to take out a mortgage." | "That can be a real problem for people if, for instance, in that time they are trying to take out a mortgage." |
| Data protection | Data protection |
| Mr Jones added that while most fraud is spotted at the outset there are simple steps people can take to protect themselves. | Mr Jones added that while most fraud is spotted at the outset there are simple steps people can take to protect themselves. |
| "The best way to avoid being a victim is to take care with your personal data. Check all your bills very carefully, and if they don't turn up chase them up." | "The best way to avoid being a victim is to take care with your personal data. Check all your bills very carefully, and if they don't turn up chase them up." |
| The main mobile phone operators Vodafone, O2, 3, T-Mobile, and Orange say they take security very seriously and encourage customers to take care of passwords and other vital personal details. | The main mobile phone operators Vodafone, O2, 3, T-Mobile, and Orange say they take security very seriously and encourage customers to take care of passwords and other vital personal details. |
| Most have information on their websites about how not to become a victim. | Most have information on their websites about how not to become a victim. |
| Mr Hurley from Cifas said: "When disposing of documents such as mobile phone statements, make sure they're shredded. | Mr Hurley from Cifas said: "When disposing of documents such as mobile phone statements, make sure they're shredded. |
| "Make sure they are unreadable because if personal data falls into a fraudster's hands, anything can happen." | "Make sure they are unreadable because if personal data falls into a fraudster's hands, anything can happen." |