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MP ISSUES ADVICE TO
CONSTITUENTS FOLLOWING HMRC DATA LOSS
Neil Gerrard MP is calling on all constituents
to remain vigilant following the loss of bank account details, national
insurance numbers and other personal information belonging to over 25
million individuals.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer
yesterday announced that “two
password-protected discs containing a full copy of HMRC’s entire data in
relation to the payment of child benefit were sent to the NAO, by HMRC’s
internal post system operated by the courier TNT. The package was not
recorded or registered.”
Commenting on the loss of personal data by
HMRC, Mr Gerrard said: “This is a major error by HMRC with clear
implications for many families in Walthamstow.
“We all have a responsibility now to watch our
accounts closely, and ensure that we report any suspicious behaviour
either to HMRC or our banks.”
Advice to constituents:
If you have any
concerns, please contact HMRC on 0845 302 1444 between 8am and 8pm on any
day of the week (closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and new Years Day).
If you see any suspicious activity in your
bank statements, please contact your bank immediately.
The following steps can also be taken to help
prevent identity fraud:
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Keep your personal and
confidential documents secure
-
Regularly check your bank
and credit card accounts for unusual transaction
-
Regularly obtain a copy
of your credit report from credit reference agencies Callcredit, Equifax
or Experian, and monitor it for discrepancie
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When you move home,
redirect your mail from your old address to your new address for at
least a year.
-
Always shred before
disposing of documentation – bank and credit card statements, utility
bills, receipts, direct mail containing any personal information,
mortgage applications etc
-
Going away? If you're
planning to be away from home, you’ll want to make sure you don’t leave
any obvious clues, like a pile of mail on your doormat, contact Royal
Mail about their 'Keepsafe' service which will hold your mail for up to
two months, and deliver it on your return. For more information visit
www.royalmail.com
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Never give out any
personal information to unidentified individuals or organisations who
contact you by phone, email or face-to-face
-
Visit
www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/
for information on different types of fraud
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Never respond to e-mails
asking for personal or financial information. Be especially careful when
sending personal information over the internet.
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If you receive an email
that warns, with little or no notice, that an account will be shut down
unless you reconfirm billing or security information, you should not
reply or click on the link in the email. Instead, contact the
institution cited in the email using a telephone number or web site
address you know to be genuine.
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Use up-to-date anti-virus
software and a personal firewall and, if your computer uses the
Microsoft Windows operating system, keep it updated from the Microsoft
website. Be extra careful if using Internet cafes or any PC which is not
your own and over which you have no control. If in doubt, a good place
to get help and guidance on how to stay safe online is your bank's
website. Check regularly for specific information and guidance on
protecting your PC and yourself online.
-
Avoid emailing personal
and financial information. Before submitting financial information
through a web site, look for the ‘lock’ icon on the browser's status
bar. It signals that personal information is secure during transmission.
-
Never give personal
information to people calling from companies you have not dealt with
before. Always check the identity of these people by calling them back.
Obtain their office number from directory enquiries and then confirm
their position with the switchboard before speaking to them
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If you have been a victim
of identity fraud involving the use of plastic cards, online banking or
cheques, the matter should be reported direct to the financial
institution concerned. They will then be responsible for further
investigation and, where appropriate, onward reporting to the police.
Other incidents should be reported to the relevant organisation and,
dependent on their advice, to your local police station
November 2007 |
