LONDON VAUXHALL DEALERS

NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire -05/23/12)- London could be set for a rise in identity fraud this summer as new figures from Experian CreditExpert reveal that 7.7 million Britons from outside the capital are set to descend on some of the UK's worst areas for ID theft - while 1.9 million Londoners plan to escape.(1)

London, the boroughs around many of the Games venues in particular, is already home to the UK's worst ID fraud hotspots, with rates of attempted fraud up to 11 times higher than the national average. These include East Ham (11 times higher), Woolwich (6.5 times higher) and Stratford itself (six times higher).(2)

There will be a mass influx of people into these areas, carrying personal information in the forms of UK bank account details, and credit card details. This leaves individuals at a high risk of Identity Fraud with individuals, in unfamiliar surroundings, exercising less caution than they would normally adhere to in their normal surroundings. This presents a massive opportunity to fraudsters, with visitors likely to have passports and other pieces of personal identification about their person, be freely using smart phones and unsecured WiFi hotspots, and also potentially sharing hostels or rented accommodation with strangers all of which increase the risk of identity theft.

Visitors are therefore advised to keep a close eye on their personal information, and on their credit report following their visit for any signs of unusual activity. CreditExpert also provides alerts if your personal details appear anywhere unexpectedly online so it is easy to protect yourself pro-actively.

   TOP FIVE RISKS    TOP FIVE TIPS TO STAY SAFE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Passports         Think about how much sensitive information you really need                   to have about your person - if your hotel booking has your                   card number and address, do you need to carry it around                   with you, for instance? Likewise, don't take your passport                   out with you unless you absolutely have to. If you are                   staying in a hotel for the Games, ask for sensitive                   documents to be securely stored in the hotel safe when you                   are not using them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PIN codes         Make sure that no-one else can see you enter your PIN code                   at ATMs and chip and pin machines, particularly in large                   crowds. Do not write down or carry your PIN code with you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smartphones       If you have a smartphone, you'll certainly want to                   photograph and tweet your time at the Olympics, but be                   particularly careful what you share when connected to an                   unsecured wireless network. Also ensure you switch off                   Bluetooth and roaming settings when not required and                   ensure you use a password. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post              If you're going to be one of the lucky ones visiting                   London for a few weeks to enjoy the Games, think about                   what you'll do with your post. Intercepted post is one of                   the key ways in which fraudsters can take people's detail,                   so it could be worth setting up a redirect for the                   duration of the Games. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Face-to-face      Check the credentials of anyone asking for your personal                   information, whether by phone, face-to-face or over the                   internet. If in doubt, don't do it!  

The Experian CreditExpert research reveals that no fewer than one in six Britons (16 per cent) is planning on visiting London during the Olympics, half as tourists and half to attend the Games themselves. Seventeen per cent of people coming to the capital have not been for more than a decade, with a further three per cent making their first ever trip to the city.

Nearly six out of 10 (59 per cent) will be staying for several days. Although one in four (25 per cent) will be staying in hotels and one in five (21 per cent) with friends, a significant minority (four per cent) will risk staying in a hostel and two per cent will be renting a property or someone's spare room - some 154,000 people.(3)

And although they are concerned about large crowds (23 per cent) and the expense of London (20 per cent), just three per cent are worried about identity fraud.

The risk of ID fraud among visitors is arguably heightened by the decision of many Londoners to quit the capital during the course of the Games. One in 14 (seven per cent) are looking to leave London for the duration of the Olympics, with a further one in six (17 per cent per cent) planning to get out of the city for at least some of the period.

But it's not just newcomers who need to be careful. The one in 20 Londoners taking on a lodger or renting out a room or their whole property need to be aware they are putting themselves at risk of ID fraud by inviting a stranger into their home and are advised to ensure personal details are locked away and post collected promptly.

Peter Turner, Managing Director at Experian Interactive, commented: "This is set to be a once in a lifetime summer. But that doesn't mean people should let their guard down - just because you are holidaying in the UK, you should still take the same precautions you would if you were on a city break to Europe.

"Identity fraud is one of the fastest-growing crimes of the 21st century, and anyone could be at risk from fraudsters getting hold of their personal information, particularly if they are in an unfamiliar area, renting a flat short-term or a room in a B&B. Likewise if you are a homeowner letting a spare room just for the Olympics, do ensure all your personal details are kept safe from visitors."

"This is why it is so important to have proper safeguards in place to protect your identity. With Experian CreditExpert if the worst should happen you will be alerted to any significant changes to your credit report so that you can react quickly and keep the risks to a minimum."

Identity fraud hotspots

   Top 10                 10k households   Top 10 in            10k households nationwide Cases                        London Cases ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Slough                 25               East Ham             78 London (all)           22               Woolwich             46 Gravesend              20               Stratford            43 Birmingham             17               Ilford               33 Luton                  16               Walthamstow          27 Manchester             15               Harrow               27 Leicester              14               Cheapside            26 High Wycombe           13               Lewisham             26 Peterborough           13               Hatfield             26 Windsor                12               Enfield              26  

To avoid becoming a victim of identity fraud this summer, Experian CreditExpert suggests some further tips:

     1. Keep an eye on your credit report   It's a history of all your credit accounts and will highlight any   irregularities such as suspect applications for credit and rises in card   balances. You can view your credit report free with a 30 day trial with   Experian CreditExpert.(ii)((i)New customers only. Monthly fee after trial   ends)    2. If in doubt, don't click   If an email purporting to be from a hotel or linked to the Games seems   suspicious, contact the relevant organisation and don't give out personal   details. Your bank, credit card provider and any reputable business will   never ask for confirmation of details by email.    3. If you do become a victim of fraud   Don't forget you can sign up to Experian's CreditExpert whose dedicated   victims of fraud team will work on your behalf to resolve the issue.  

Notes to editors:

1. The UK adult population is 48,091,600 (ONS). Sixteen per cent of adults are set to come to London during the Olympics. Therefore: 0.16 x 48,091,600 = 7,694,656 or 7.7 million.

The population of Greater London is 7,753,000 (ONS) 24 per cent of Londoners are looking to leave the capital during some or all of the Games. Therefore: 0.24 x 7,753,000 = 1,860,720 or 1.9 million

2. Based on analysis of information from the National Hunter anti-fraud data sharing system and the Insurance Hunter database.

3. 0.02 x 7694656 = 153,893 or 154,000

Key benefits of Experian CreditExpert membership:

- Experian is the UK's most trusted credit reference agency

- Experian is the credit expert with more than 30 years of experience

- Free 30-day trial of CreditExpert(i)((i)New customers only. Monthly fee after trial ends)

- Unlimited access to your Experian Credit Score

- Weekly alerts of changes to your credit report

- Access to an award-winning, UK-based customer services team

- Identity Protection Insurance of up to GBP 75,000(ii) ((ii)terms and conditions apply)

- Expert advice and tools to help improve your credit rating

- Intelligent price matching to credit products suited to your credit history

- Consumers can apply directly from the website: www.creditexpert.co.uk

About Experian

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2012 was US$4.5 billion. Experian employs approximately 17,000 people in 44 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.