Shared mailboxes can assist credit card frauds. Professionals who live in rented accommodation in cities face an increased likelihood of falling victim to credit card fraud, according to new research.
A report from CreditExpert, the fraud prevention service from credit reports firm Experian, found that those who rent in London and Glasgow face the highest threat from the scams.
Other contributory risk factors for an individual include working in service industries, living in council or housing association flats and being single.
These trends are partly explained by the fact that many frauds are perpetrated by criminals who intercept mail containing sensitive data such as credit card numbers.
People who rent tend to share mailboxes with other tenants and switch from address to address more often, therefore leaving themselves more vulnerable to these thefts.
Darryl Bowman, director of CreditExpert, said: “Criminals are switching their focus from the wealthy to people whose details they can get hold of more easily.
“Because of this, each one of us needs to be aware of the dangers of ID fraud and take steps to protect our identity and stop thieves from getting access to our personal information.”
CreditExpert recommended that card customers check their credit reports regularly for signs of suspicious transactions, shred or otherwise destroy all old bank and card statements and make sure that mail sent to former addresses is forwarded to their current home for the six months following the move.
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