News In Focus
14 December 2006
Clampdown on identity fraud of the dead
A joint consultation paper on proposals aimed at stopping fraudsters from using the identities of dead people has been issued by the Registrars General for Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Identity fraud, of which impersonation of the dead is a type, costs the UK economy more than £1 billion a year.
Fraudsters can get enough information to impersonate a dead person before organisations with which that person had financial dealings become aware of the death.
Under the Police and Justice Act 2006 and the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006, the Registrars General can disclose death registration information to help prevent, detect, investigate or prosecute offences.
The Registrars General are looking for views on how the information should be released.
Death registration information is in the public domain as soon as a death is registered, but is not currently provided in a way that can be easily used to help the police, other law enforcement bodies and public and private sector organisations to deal with offences and identify cases of attempted fraud.
The consultation document sets out proposals for the administration of the scheme, with the aim of putting it in place by the summer of 2007.
Responses to the consultation are due by 6 March 2007.