SHREWSBURY HAS been named as a hotspot in Shropshire for people most at risk of identity theft according to a new report which shows third party fraud cases in the town have rocketed by 160 per cent in just a year.

While incidents in Oswestry and Telford have plummeted, the new study by global information service firm Experian reveals that the county town has become a key target for criminals.

The company’s Fraud Report 2010 reveals that nationally fraudulent applications for credit and other financial services have leapt by 11 per cent compared to 2009 as the number of reported crimes continues to grow and fraudsters reinvent themselves to avoid detection.

And identity fraudsters and criminals have turned to ever-greater stealth, with fraudsters targeting bank current accounts as a gateway to then attempt access to the more lucrative credit card and loan fraud.

In Shrewsbury in 2009 the number of fraud attempts per 10,000 adults was 0.41 but this had risen to 1.07 for 2010 — a leap of 160 per cent, according to the report.

In Telford there was a 29 per cent drop from 0.91 in 2009 to 0.65 in 2010; and in Oswestry there was a 13 per cent decrease from 0.80 to 0.70.

Experian said attempted credit card fraud levels reached 19 in every 10,000 applications in 2010, with identity fraudsters accounting for more than 80 per cent of attempts.

There was also an increase in attempted loan fraud, to seven in every 10,000 applications — up from five in 2009, with identity fraudsters responsible for 60 per cent of these cases.

Peter Turner, managing director at Experian, said: “The research shows fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated and therefore more menacing than ever before.

“It is important to have proper safeguards in place to protect your identity such as ensuring that you keep your pins and passwords private, properly checking your bank statements and taking care when sharing personal details online.”

By Russell Roberts