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Are There Identity Theft Risks For UK Homeowners At HM Land Registry?Today, 10th August 2007, the BBC are reporting about heightened identity theft risks in the UK for homeowners. Since 2003, HM Land Registry has provided details online of property records. This was done in the hope that it would encourage solicitors to carry out conveyancing online. The information differs from property to property and in some cases shows a significant amount of information which may - in the wrong hands - pose potential identity theft risks. This information can contain many valuable pieces of information. On the one hand, details of property ownership are shown. These include the vital facts for a property register such as the owners names, property postcode, title number, and the name of any mortgage lender or chargeholder. An identity thief could use this information, but they would almost certainly need more. However, some property register records also include copies of mortgage deeds. These will include all sorts of other information, for example, the full names of the owner, mortgage account number, amount of the loan which was initially borrowed, possibly dates of birth and almost certainly copy signatures. This could do much more damage in the wrong hands! For my part, I was surprised to see the BBC reporting this. Is it really news? Back in 2003, I was chasing a former business partner for money through the courts after he had stolen from our fledgling company. I used the HM Land Registry website to obtain some of the information just described so that I could apply to have a second charge placed on his property. The site is relatively quick and easy to use. What did amaze me - I can't lie - is that for a fee of just two pounds, I was able to access the details. It makes sense for these details to be available online - it must make conveyancing easier and more efficient. However, I found it hard to believe that the provisions of the Data Protection Act could allow the sale so easily. These details now cost three pounds, by the way. The one saving grace, is that HM Land Registry declare openly that details of all requests are stored and that this information will be provided to the Police if requested. Of course, if an applicant already has a false credit card, this information would be less useful. Hopefully, the records also include internet IP addresses. But, how many victims of identity theft will think to ask HM Land Registry who has accessed their details? Find out how people put their personal information at risk when they use
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Click here to read about wireless technology for
online identity theft
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