29 June 2006
Unused credit cards are putting millions of Brits at greater risk of falling victim to identity theft, according to a specialist credit history firm.
Callcredit says that 31.5 million people in the UK held an average of 2.4 credit cards and charge cards at the end of last year, but around a third of these is no longer active.
"This means millions of people have stopped using a credit or store card without telling their lender, the facility is still available and a fraudster can quite easily use it to rack up debts in someone else's name without fear of early detection," said Callcredit director Mel Mitchley.
She added that consumers needed to keep an eye on new credit facilities sent to them through the post.
"If you've been pre-approved for a credit or store card and you throw that information in the bin without shredding it you're handing a fraudster an open invitation to impersonate you and get credit in your name," she said.
"People need to take care of their ID by checking their credit file and cancelling any unused credit facilities. They also need to shred personal documents, including direct mail, before they throw it away."
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