Continued ... The UK has the highest number of attempted False Identity Fraud in Europe. Last year alone this amounted to over 27,000 cases. The car industry does have an advanced system of checks in place to identify counterfeit documents and to verify that the person named on them actually exists. However, although these checks exist, they have been known to fail. When this happens, it is left to the car firms and insurers to foot the bill.
		The public can also find themselves victims of this type of fraud. Criminals have been known to redirect mail through the Post Office in order to obtain the details they need to produce cloned documents.
	Cases have also come to light in which the identities of the deceased have been adopted. The whole experience can prove devastating to anyone who falls victim to these fraudsters. The first an innocent member of the public will know about this happening to them is when the bills arrive or when they find themselves having to face the enquiries of the fraud investigators. It doesn't stop there. Credit ratings can be affected, making applications loan or mortgage applications very difficult. There is some good news, though. Fortunately, the credit industry is aware of the problem and does offer an effective system of protection for its consumers. The police have also made a number of successful attempts to identify and prosecute gangs and individuals taking part in illegal activities of this kind.