SUFFOLK police are today warning people to do more to protect their identities.The call comes after research revealed virtually every household is throwing away personal information in their rubbish.

SUFFOLK police are today warning people to do more to protect their identities.

The call comes after research revealed virtually every household is throwing away personal information in their rubbish.

The force is supporting National Identity Fraud Prevention Week this week and is staging displays at supermarkets across the county as part of efforts to help people protect themselves against fraud.

There is an array of methods used by fraudsters to claim people's identity including seizing personal details through rubbish disposal and via insecure internet sites.

Paul Rawlings, fraud officer for Suffolk police, said: “Anyone who has mail coming to them or who is out there living their life is at risk of becoming a victim.

“People need to be more careful with the information they retain. Also bear in mind anything with personal details on that you don't need you should shred.

“Shredding is the main way someone can prevent themselves becoming a victim.”

National research conducted by Fellowes ahead of National Identity Fraud Prevention Week revealed that 97 pc of households regularly dispose of materials stating their full name, sex, title, address and postcode.

Nearly a third of people (30 pc) also throw away their whole credit/debit card number, and 46 pc of households have thrown away an item that contained their bank account number and sort-code.

There are several things people can do, other than shredding, to prevent becoming a victim.

These include: paying attention to billing cycles to ensure nothing has gone missing in the post; regularly checking your credit report with agencies to see if there have been any unexpected change and protecting your post by not leaving it in in-trays, securing your post box and contacting Royal Mail if you are going away.

Suffolk police will hold a series of events this week with draws planned to give people the chance to win a shredder.

They include events at Asda, Stowmarket on Thursday from 10am to 12.30pm and at Morrisons, Sproughton Road, Ipswich on the same day from 10am to 2pm.

Have you been a victim of identity fraud? Write to: Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail: eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

WEBLINKS: www.stop-idfraud.co.uk; www.suffolk.police.uk