Fraud Statistics
The table below shows a summary of fraud cases identified by CIFAS members that occurred during the first 9 months of 2006 & 2007. The figures illustrate that there was a 9.15% increase of fraud cases identified in 2007 when compared to the same period in 2006, equating to an additional 11,483 cases.
| Jan 06 – Sept 06 | Jan 07 – Sept 07 | % Change | |
| Fraud Cases Identified | 125,483 | 136,966 | 9.15% |
| Subjects Identified | 181,689 | 196,215 | 7.99% |
Fraud cases identified: This term refers to a given instance where a CIFAS member has identified fraud. For the case to qualify as fraud members must have sufficient evidence to take the case to the Police, although they are not obliged to do so.
Subjects Identified: Relates to any person involved in the fraud case, this includes the perpetrator of the fraud, accomplice(s) and victim(s).
Fraud can occur in many forms; the figures below highlight some of the most common fraud types and the changes in frequency seen between Jan – Sept 06 and Jan – Sept 07. Although many of the figures are on the increase it is encouraging to see the slight fall in identity fraud; by utilising electronic identity verification tools as part of their “Know Your Customer” procedures, companies can pro-actively aid this decline.
| Jan 06 – Sept 06 | Jan 07 – Sept 07 | % Change | |
| Identity Fraud | 58,050 | 57,302 | -1.29% |
| Application Fraud | 46,468 | 57,321 | 23.36% |
| Facility Takeover Fraud | 3,625 | 4,844 | 33.63% |
| Asset Conversion | 285 | 352 | 23.51% |
| Misuse of Facility | 16,774 | 16,841 | 0.40% |
| False Insurance Claim | 281 | 306 | 8.90% |
- The cost of identity theft on the UK economy is estimated at £1.7 billion annually. (Home Office Identity Fraud Steering Committee)
- It can cost a victim of identity theft up to £8,000 and over 200 hours of their time to restore their reputation in extreme cases. (CIFAS)
- Identity fraud itself is not a crime and the costs are often hidden in statistics for crimes such as deception and theft. This makes it hard to gauge the true financial cost of such offences.
- CIFAS cites impersonation of the dead as the fastest growing identity theft crime in the UK today.
- The DMA estimates that 22 million items of direct marketing mail are sent to the deceased each year. Not only does this cause untold stress to family members but documentation contained within the mail can be used to aid identity theft.
- There are 80 million active NI numbers in the UK which has a population of 60 million. (CIFAS)
- Credit and debit card fraud has a high toll on society as many of the proceeds from such crime are used to fund drug trafficking and terrorism. (Card Watch)
