ID cards and shredders to fight fraud, says Home Office

The government is promoting shredders and ID cards as the best way of tackling identity theft.

According to government figures, more than 100,000 people are affected by the crime every year in the UK.

A leaflet has been produced by the Home Office Identity Fraud Steering Committee to advise the public on how to avoid becoming a victim.

It recommends shredding personal documents such as bills, receipts and bank statements as one way to reduce the risk of falling victim to fraudsters, and said around one million personal shredders are sold each year as a result of public concern about identity fraud.

Home Office minister Andy Burnham said identity fraud is a growing crime, costing the country more than £1.3bn per year - and pointed to the government's controversial ID cards as another way of cutting off fraudsters.

"Criminals can use stolen personal details to open bank accounts, obtain credit cards, loans, state benefits and other documents in your name - and if your identity is stolen it can take a long time to put your records and your life straight," he said in a statement.

"The government's plans to introduce a national identity cards scheme will help individuals to prove their identity and protect it from being misused or stolen by criminals," he added.

The government's Identity Cards Bill was reintroduced in the House of Commons in May and completed its committee stage in late July. It is expected to have its third reading in the House of Commons in the autumn.

People who earn more than £60,000 are almost three times more likely to be victims of identity fraud, according to research by credit reference agency Experian.