Women issued fraud warning
Handbags owned by women around the country contain credit card details, National Insurance Numbers and receipts, which can give criminals an opportunity to access information they need to carry out fraudulent activities, according to the credit reference agency Equifax.
And with debt management problems facing thousands of Britons, around 80 per cent of women are increasing their risk of fraud by carrying both their credit card and debit cards around with them, Equifax research has discovered.
“According to our survey, women are carrying around enough information for a fraudster to apply for loans, mortgages, credit cards and bank accounts in their name,” said Munroe of Equifax.
“As our survey revealed anything from payslips, driving licences and mobile phones can be found in a handbag and this is all it takes to commit ID fraud,” he added.
Figures from the life assistance firm CPP released earlier this week revealed that the average credit card user in the UK spends around £150,000 on plastic over the course of their life time.