BRITS ABROAD LEAVE THEMSELVES EXPOSED TO IDENTITY THEFT

Holidaymakers planning their summer holiday are today warned to be extra vigilant with their personal information and belongings. New research from Capital One reveals that nearly half (45%)* of us don't use the safes provided in hotels - with the majority of us leaving our passports and personal documents lying around hotel rooms and apartments or carrying them around with us whilst out and about.
 

Given this, it's not surprising that nearly 300,000 of us either lost or had our passport stolen last year**. By being so careless abroad with our important documents we are leaving ourselves open and vulnerable to theft that can ultimately lead to holidaymakers' identities being stolen.
 

Although some of us take some very basic steps to keep our belongings safe such as hiding passports in our hotel rooms (20%) or keeping them on us at all times (34%), pickpockets are common in holiday resorts and unscrupulous hotel staff unfortunately do exist - leaving us as easy targets for opportunistic thieves. Thieves who are able to piece together our identities from the nuggets of information from our personal documents, cards and passports.
 

Sanjiv Yajnik, Principal Managing Director, Capital One says: "Holidays are a relaxing and enjoyable time, but can also be a time when we forget the basic safety rules that we'd always follow when at home - leaving us open to theft. Although cash and jewellery are always easy items for thieves to steal, many canny criminals are now focusing on personal information so that they can steal a holidaymaker's identity."
 

He continued: "Unsuspecting holidaymakers may return home to find accounts set up in their name, transactions they know nothing about on their bank statements or further activity in their name that they are unaware of."
 

Reinforcing how vulnerable British tourists are abroad, Professor Martin Gill, a Criminologist from Perpetuity, a division of the University of Leicester added: "Given the insights provided by identity fraudsters, it is unwise that so many of us are not taking the basic precautions to keep our passports and personal documents safe when abroad. I'm sure not many of us would leave our ipods or wallets lying around our apartments and hotel rooms, yet people seem to forget that passports and personal documents could be worth far more to fraudsters."
 

"I have spoken to victims of identity fraud and they report that it is a distressing time and in the worst cases can become a serious invasion of privacy. I would strongly urge everyone to take all the steps they can this summer to minimise the risks of losing or having their personal information stolen."
 

In a bid to help combat the rise of ID theft, Capital One is encouraging holidaymakers to take a few simple safety precautions to keep their identities safe whilst abroad.
 

Top tips for keeping your identity safe this summer include:
 

• Inform your bank if you intend on being away from the UK for a long period of time
• Ensure your post is dealt with securely whilst you are abroad, Royal Mail offers a Keepsafe™ service
• Use the safe boxes provided in hotel rooms
• If you do want to carry your documents with you, use a concealed travel pouch, a money belt or make sure you hold your bag firmly alongside your body
• Do not keep your cheque book and plastic cards together
• Take two photocopies of your passport before heading off on holiday - leave one with a relative or friend and take the other with you, keeping the copy separate from the original
• Try not to let your credit card out of your sight in places like restaurants and shops
• If driving, don't leave bags or wallets in-view of opportunistic thieves that could open your car door in slow traffic
• Keep your passport and personal documents with you when travelling to your destination in a hidden and zipped off section of your hand luggage
• If you are unexpectedly asked to handover your passport, be wary. Immigration officials and hotel reception staff may legitimately ask to see your passport, but if a request seems suspicious or unnecessary, check with your travel operator or the British Consulate
• If your passport is stolen or lost while abroad, report it straight away to the local police and get in touch with the nearest British Consulate or Embassy for further advice. The British Consul can issue an emergency passport if necessary
• Once home, check your bank and credit card statements for any unusual activity

 

For more information on Capital One's identity fraud resolution service, please visit www.capitalone.co.uk
 

- ends -

Contact:

Sally Camm / Becky Paterson Capital One 0115 843 3676 / 6484

Elizabeth Bickham / Rowena Denham Fishburn Hedges 020 7893 4321

Notes to Editors:
*Research conducted by YouGov of a representative sample of 2331 GB adults between 31st May and 4th June 2007.
**Based on population stats from ONS and census data
 

**Identity and Passport Service data, January 2007
 

Identity theft is one of the UK's fastest growing crimes. By obtaining somebody's personal details a fraudster can apply for credit cards, loans and other financial products in their name. They can also obtain mobile phone contracts, driving licences or even passports. The unpaid debts subsequently accrued are then lodged in the innocent person's name. Ultimately, this can lead to encounters with debt collectors, court actions and problems getting a mortgage or even a job.
 

Capital One can help its customers to protect themselves against the perils of ID theft, and to pick up the pieces if they do get caught out. Its newly updated ID theft service is the only one of its kind to provide a named adviser to provide help at every stage if a cardholder discovers they have been a victim of ID Theft. The service can also offer advice on preventing ID theft for any cardholders who want to ensure they are doing all they can to protect their ID.
 

• A named advisor
• Advice and assistance in the event of ID theft to resolve the case including guidance in who to contact at other financial institutions and relevant organisations
• Advice guide containing ID theft prevention tips and early-warning signs

 

About Capital One:
Capital One Financial Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1996 Capital One launched its first overseas operation in the UK offering credit cards, savings and loan products to UK customers. The UK Operations Centre for Capital One Bank (Europe) plc is located in Nottingham, where more than 2,000 Associates are based. Capital One is a top-ten credit card issuer in both the USA and the UK, with more than four million UK customers. Capital One's subsidiaries collectively have approximately 50 million managed accounts and $142 billion in managed loans. The Bank has won numerous industry awards for its products and services as well as accolades for its consistent work within the communities in which it operates.
 

Capital One has consistently provided market-leading consumer-lending products to its customers. In the UK Capital One was among the first credit card issuers to offer a 0% introductory purchase rate, combining this with one of the lowest 'go-to' rates on the market. Capital One is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.