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Preventing Identity TheftThis whole subject is very difficult for the average person to grasp. Preventing identity theft is a rather abstract idea. After all, who knows who will actually be targetted? Even worse, there are so many ways that an individual can be targetted, it is virtually impossible to guarantee that you will not become 'a mark'. For example, in 2002/3, a BBC investigative reporter named Paul Kenyon decided to become someone else. Since identity cards were a hot topic for discussion at the time, he decided to become their main supporter - Home Secretary, David Blunkett! He managed to obtain a copy birth certificate and a provisional driving licence. This despite Mr Blunkett being one of the most famous politicians in the UK at the time and registered blind. If this can happen to a Home Secretary, it can certainly happen to most other people. In another example, two newspaper men were jailed in early 2007 for intercepting voicemail messages left for the aides of Princes Charles, William and Harry. Whilst they were not trying to steal, they were trying to obtain royal 'scoops' by listening to confidential messages. This why preventing identity theft is so difficult. No one can be fully secure. Therefore, the following pages aim to offer some basic guidance as to measures that we can all take to stop would-be thieves from targetting us. We can only really hope that by doing these measures we deter the amateur thief and make life difficult for a professional. Learn how to
combat identity theft
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