Repairing My Identity - UKIFA - UK Identity Fraud Advisory

Signs of identity compromise or identity fraud:

Unrecognisable items appear on your bank account or credit card bill.
You receive letters from debt collection agencies, solicitors, companies for goods you have not paid for.
You receive notices of intended prosecution for traffic offences.
You are refused financial products or services despite having a good credit rating.
You apply for state benefits but are told that you are already claiming.
Mail that you expect to arrive, such as utility bills or bank statements do not arrive.
Your identity documents have been lost or stolen.
Your mobile telephone company suddenly disconnects your service without notice.

Have you been a victim of identity fraud, but are not sure what to do to repair your identity? You can find a handy checklist below – the most important thing to remember is to act quickly to rectify the issue!

Identity repair checklist

Always act quickly. Never ignore letters, demands or those from debt collection agencies.
Contact the organisations concerned, such as banks, credit card companies etc.
Keep a record of correspondence with companies where the fraud has occurred. Make a record of telephone calls, what was said and who was spoken to.
Contact CIFAS for protective registration. More information here: Protective Registration | Identity Protection Service | Cifas
Report the fraud to Action Fraud: Action Fraud
Notify the Post Office if mail theft is suspected or if a mail redirect has been fraudulently placed on your address.
Obtain a copy of your credit report to identify any searches or accounts that you have not applied for. You will then need to contact these organisations.
You may wish to contact Victim Support, Citizens Advice or the Financial Ombudsman (you can find their details on our Associated Links page)
Review all passwords for banking, emails and social media and changing them where necessary.
Consider registering your details with the Mailing Preference Service and the Telephone Preference Service.
Register for free alerts about activity on your property via the Land Registry. See more information about Property Fraud on our page about Keeping your details safe.
Ensure any stolen documents are reported appropriately - see our guidance in Reporting my stolen identity.

Reporting your birth certificate or marriage certificate lost or stolen

You must report the loss or theft of these documents immediately to the police and the office it was originally issued at. You may want to also contact the General register office to obtain copies of your certification and ask them to make a note of the fact the original documentation has been stolen.

Visit: Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Report your credit or debit cards lost or stolen

You must get in contact with your bank immediately to cancel your cards. Please visit your bank’s website for further information.

For further information on how to report stolen or lost documents please visit:

Report lost or found property | The Met

What about fake job offers?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake job offers targeting work seekers, and also fake or disreputable recruitment agencies. If you are unsure about your job offer you can get free help and advice from SAFERjobs at www.safer-jobs.com. If you believe you have become a victim of a fake job scam or have been exploited by a recruitment agency you should also report this to SAFERjobs.