We are pleased to announce that #TheFraudTube will feature a range of bloggers, all domain experts. Each blog will be updated on a regular basis and you will be able to subscribe via RSS to either all of the blogs or to your chosen individual blogs.
Our bloggers are:
- Darren Hodder (@FraudAssist): Notes from the Editor
- Neira Jones (@NeiraJones): Information security, payments & risk
- Bennett Arron (@BennettArron): Identity fraud
- Laurie Beagle: Credit risk and b2b fraud
- Malcolm Gardner (@gardmal): Public sector fraud
- Robert Siciliano (@RobertSiciliano): Social media & cybercrime
Introducing Bennett Arron
It Wasn’t Me, It Was Bennett Arron
So, Identity Theft. What is it really? Well, I’m glad you asked. It’s basically when your personal details are used fraudulently to open accounts or obtain documentation in your name. This could result in debts being accumulated, for which you would initially be accountable – until you prove yourself innocent.
ID theft is quite commonplace now, but when it happened to me several years ago, no one really knew much about the crime. I had to convince the Police, as well as all the companies to which I allegedly owed money, that I was me, and not the person pretending to be me.
Someone had used my name to ring up thousands of pounds worth of bad debts. This gave me a bad credit-rating which meant I couldn’t get a mortgage, couldn’t get a credit card and couldn’t open a bank account. I couldn’t even join my local gym as they wouldn’t accept my direct debit – so it wasn’t all bad news….
Read the rest of Bennetts blog along with our other bloggers when #TheFraudTube launches on Tuesday 24th April 2012