ID fraud costs UK economy £2.7bn
UK identity fraud costs more than £2.7bn and affects over 1.8m people every year, according to new figures.
On average, fraudsters gain over £1,000 from every stolen identity, according to the National Fraud Authority.
Criminals often look to fraudulently obtain genuine documents such as birth certificates, passports and driving licences.
However, they also intercept utility bills and steal online passwords, to use to plunder accounts.
National Fraud Authority chief executive Dr Bernard Herdan said: “Stolen and false identities are a significant enabler of crime and this issue demands a co-ordinated response across government and the private sector.”