Press Release

MoD computer hard drive goes missing

ID Fraud Expert Available to provide advice

www.equifax.co.uk

London, October 2008 - It has, today, been revealed that a computer hard drive containing the personal details of about 100,000 of the Armed Forces has gone missing. It is thought to contain more than 1.5m pieces of information, including the details of 600,000 potential recruits. It is reported to contain details of passport numbers, addresses, dates of birth, driving licence details and telephone numbers, as well as a small amount of information about bank details.

However, ID Fraud expert Equifax, is warning members of the Armed Forces to stay calm and take some simple steps to increase the security of their personal data.

Neil Munroe, External Affairs Director at Equifax comments, "There is a heightened risk of ID Fraud but there is no evidence yet that the information has fallen into the wrong hands. Plus consumers will be protected against financial loss in these circumstances but it can affect their credit record and they may have difficulty obtaining credit in the future if they don't take the right precautions. It may, therefore, be worth taking out a monitoring service which will alert the individual to any unusual activity on their credit file."

Equifax ID Fraud Checklist

If a member of your family's name or your date of birth is one of your passwords change this immediately
Be wary of emails that begin "Dear customer", rather than using your name or phone calls 'phishing' for further personal information.
Your bank will never ask you to reveal your PIN or passwords in full. Don't reveal these to anyone
If think you have been a victim, tell your bank or building society immediately. Unless you suspect something, there is no need to contact them
There is no need to close your bank account
Sign up for a service like Equifax Identity Watch Lite to alert you of any fraudulent activity

On-going monitoring of credit information is crucial to protect against identity fraud and Equifax Identity Watch Lite makes this as simple and cost-effective as possible. For just £2.99 per month, Equifax Identity Watch Lite takes the worry away from the individual - they just need to check their credit file if there's an alert of changes to their file that doesn't match their own known purchasing and payment activity. This could be a search of their credit file - when they haven't made any new applications for credit. Or details of a new credit account opened in their name that they know nothing about.

"The majority of consumers know when they are searching for new credit or setting up a new loan or credit account. So if they get an alert that coincides with that activity they probably won't be bothered to get an up to date copy of their credit file", concluded Neil Munroe. "But if they receive an alert from Identity Watch Lite when they haven't been credit active, then this could be just the sort of warning they need to ensure they don't suddenly find themselves being chased for debts they know nothing about."

To find out more about Equifax Identity Watch Lite visit www.equifax.co.uk.

Neil Munroe is available to provide comment on identity fraud and data breaches. Neil Munroe has extensive experience and expertise on the subject of identity fraud. He can provide soundbites on the size of the problem, ways in which ID theft and fraud can take place including the latest trends and give advice on ways consumers can protect themselves from becoming a victim.

For further press information please contact: Elinor Puzey, Louise Fowler, Cecile Stearn or Wendy Harrison at HSL on 020 8977 9132 / Fax: 020 8977 5200 or Email: louise@harrisonsadler.com