"Owain" wrote in message
...
Chris Styles wrote:
There was an article in a magazine my wife was reading all about ID
theft. According to this article you should shred anything with your name
and address on it, because is a criminal gets hold of your name and
address, you're done for.
I can't see how. Names and addresses are public domain. If you could
steal an ID and defraud someone just based on thier name and address,
there would be no need for shredders... A copy of the phone book is all a
criminal would need!

It's not so much the "name and address" that matters, but a *document*
bearing the name and address can be used as evidence of identity as the
person in possession of them is assumed to be the person named on them.

With a couple of bank statements, council tax bill, and phone bill, it's
much easier to open a bank account or get a loan in someone else's name
than without such physical evidence.

Owain


Yes, I understand that, and it makes sense, but that is *not* what the
article said, and I believe that it is scaremongery.

It makes sense to not make your name address available along with other
account information, but implying that the name and address alone is
dangerous is likely to panic those who don't fully understand.