Release of death records helping fight identity fraud
Tuesday, 23 Dec 2008 07:56
The release of death records is helping fight identity fraud
A recent government scheme that has seen the release of the names of every person who has died in the UK each week has been heralded a success in fighting identity fraud.
A series of finance firms have praised the government's new scheme as a pivotal step in the fight against fraudsters impersonating the dead.
Identity fraud exploiting those who have died can take many forms from stealing identities from obituaries for forged credit applications, to dishonest family members claiming pensions long after their relative has died.
The government claims the cost of identity fraud to the UK economy is at least £1.2 billion.
A statement from the Home Office says that since September the UK's three Registrars General have released around 140,000 death records to carefully vetted organisations to match against their clients' databases.
And already tens of thousands of matches have been made against business records helping to prevent potential frauds.
Home Office minister Meg Hillier commented on the scheme today, claiming: "The use of death records in this way will have a dramatic impact on fraudsters abusing people's deaths - a crime which causes financial and personal distress to both businesses and individuals alike.
"We're sending a strong message to criminals: if you try and steal the identity of someone who has died to commit fraud you will be found out."
Keith Hollender, commercial director of the National Association of Pension Funds, said the decision to release the names held in the death register was welcomed by pension schemes.
"For many years, scheme managers have struggled to find an effective way to make sure they receive prompt notification of a member's death," he said.
"Genuine mistakes, for example when relatives forget to tell the scheme that a member has died, and deliberate fraud can cost pension schemes and insurers millions of pounds both in terms of monthly cash outlays and incorrect valuations of liabilities.
"This decision will help minimise costs and has made the administration of pension funds much easier."