Thumbprint Protection against Identity Fraud

A shopper's brilliant idea to fight ID theft with a thumbprint is being adopted by Britain's top credit agency.

Consumer Jamie Jamieson has stunned the finance industry with his simple and "foolproof" idea.  Millions of pounds have been spent researching new ways to protect your cash from ID crooks, but Jamie's thumbprint method beats them all.  It offers complete protection against crooks taking out credit in your name.  And it's free.

Jamie, 58, said: "All you have to do is send your thumbprint to Britain's three [main] credit reference agencies and tell them that applications in your name for financial products must be accompanied by your thumbprint or they should be treated as fraudulent.

"Lenders must take notice of this instruction.  If a lender gives out any type of credit in your name and your thumbprint was not on the application, you are not liable.  And it has to be your thumbprint - nobody else's will do."

Equifax boss Neil Munroe said today (Friday December 8): "This is an excellent idea.  It offers people effective protection against fraud."

Equifax is now offering customers a form which they can fill in and return with a thumbprint if they wish to use the system.  This form is a Notice of Correction which is added to their credit file.  Lenders will always refer to this file before giving credit.

The other two credit agencies Experian and Call Credit are expected to follow suit.

Home Secretary John Reid is to consider giving Home Office support to thumbprint protection.  MP Robert Goodwill is tabling a parliamentary question calling on Mr Reid to back the idea.

Mr Goodwill said: "Jamie's idea is brilliant - absolutely foolproof.  It is sad that the banking industry seems prepared to accept a certain amount of fraud rather than trying to find better ways of protecting people from it.  I hope the Home Secretary will get behind this."

Mr Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, added:  "I think banks and building societies should have leaflets in their branches advising people that they can do this to protect themselves."

ID theft is Britain's fastest-growing crime, soaring by 700 per cent in the last five years.

Other protection services offered are expensive and not as effective.  It costs £14.10 a year to be registered with CIFAS - the credit industry fraud avoidance system.  People who sign up get a password and when someone applies for credit in their name lenders will telephone them for the password.

Update:

Jamie has recently launched his website www.freeidprotection.co.uk which details how you can proactively protect your identity from fraudsters.

But this system is laborious and only protects the consumer if the lender is a member of CIFAS and about 20 per cent of lenders are not members.  Also, the register is address-based so people must update their details if they move or they will not be protected.

Lloyds bank is currently offering customers insurance against identity fraud which costs £6.99 a MONTH.

Jamie, of Scarborough, North Yorks, said:  "My method costs nothing except the price of three stamps and is effective for all lenders.  Everyone is welcome to use it.

"A small voluntary donation to Cancer Research UK or St. Catherine's Hospice, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, or any other charity would be appreciated."

Crime Reduction officer Sgt Andy Lockyer of Lincolnshire police said: "Other people should become aware of this simple low-tech technique to prevent yourself becoming a victim."

Scamsdirect.com were the first to see the merit in Jamie's idea.  The consumer campaigners said: "Jamie is a true consumer's champ.  This is the first positive step in the fight against ID theft that we have come across.

"We've been all round the country looking in bank bins and our binvestigation proved that banks were helping ID crooks by leaving customer account details on the street.  It's taken one man with a clever idea to do something that helps the consumer.  The industry must embrace this wholeheartedly.

"We'd like to thank Mr Goodwill for getting the Home Office involved.  Consumers in Britain deserve better protection and the Government should not pass up the opportunity to help them."

Destroy any documents showing your name, address or other details before throwing them away.

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