List of UK dead to be released to target fraudsters

by Dave Keating | October 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

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The UK is planning to release the personal information of the deceased to key agencies to prevent fraudsters from assuming their identity. It is thought that if credit agencies have an up to date list of who is deceased they can stop people from opening up accounts in the names of dead people.

Details of everyone who has died in the UK are to be released in an attempt to prevent their use in identity fraud.

Encrypted files containing the information would be sent every week to vetted organisations, including credit agencies, the government said.

The move aims to stop the use of obituaries to create false identities to open bank accounts, commit benefit fraud or aid illegal immigration.

It is thought identity fraud costs the UK in the region of £1.7bn every year.