Top tips to protect your clients from identity theft

The recent cyber attack on Marks and Spencer, which resulted in the compromise of personal customer information, have highlighted that identity protection is more crucial than ever. Although the breached data didn’t include customer payment or card details, or account passwords, there’s still a risk that hackers could combine this information with data from other breaches to create profiles of individuals.

 At HSB, we’re committed to helping private clients safeguard their identities by providing support in the event of identity theft. If you’d like more information about our identity monitoring and protection solution, and how it can benefit your business and your clients,  visit us on stand 21 at The MGAA Annual Conference 2025.

 The following top tips provide guidance on how your private clients can stay safe at home and keep their personal data safe.

Create strong, secure passwords for every account 

Create strong, complex passwords for different applications and accounts and change them frequently. Avoid using short and weak passwords containing personal information and consider using an encrypted password manager application to store all of your passwords securely if you can’t remember them all. 

Shred personal documents
Regularly delete documents you no longer need on your computer. For physical copies,  shred any documents carrying personal information such as bank statements, utility bills or  credit card transactions to prevent potential thieves from using them to impersonate you and  gain access to your accounts. 

Limit the risk of identity theft when moving property
When you move home, inform your bank, utility and telecoms provider along with other  companies who regularly send you post so they can update their database with your new  address. This will prevent new tenants from accessing letters containing your personal  information.

Regularly monitor your accounts
Regularly review your emails and bank accounts for any suspicious transactions that may suggest your financial details have been compromised. Similarly, monitor your credit report and request a copy of your credit file to check for any credit applications made in your name. 

Be careful what you share
The less you give away about yourself, the lower the risk of information falling into the wrong  hands. Be mindful of what you share on social media and be wary of using free, public Wi-Fi networks which can be a hotspot for data interception. 

Spot suspicious signs
Receiving bills or receipts for items you haven’t asked for, solicitors or debt collection letters relating to debts that aren’t yours, or being refused financial services despite having a good credit rating, are red flags that may indicate you have become a victim of identity fraud.

Act immediately if you fall victim to ID theft
Report the theft of any personal documents to the organisation that issued them and notify the Police and ask for a crime reference number. Contact CIFAS (the UK’s Fraud Prevention  Service) to apply for protective registration. Once registered, CIFAS will carry out extra  checks to see when anyone applies for a financial service using your personal details. To establish if your details have appeared in any other public data breaches, there are a number of online tools that you can use, such as haveibeenpwned.com

Following these tips can help to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks, however it’s essential to note that these measures can only reduce and not entirely eliminate the risk. 

Whilst there is no definitive way to prevent ID theft, having identity theft insurance in place can provide peace of mind. Benefits include providing services to monitor and alert individuals if their identity has been compromised, credit report repair and identity restoration, in addition to providing reimbursement for expenses incurred while dealing with the aftermath of identity theft.

To learn more about HSB’s identity monitoring and protection solution and how you can integrate it into your existing insurance products, or offer it as a standalone service, visit us on stand 21 at The MGAA Annual Conference 2025.

Alternatively, please contact Daniel Maskell for more information: T: 07921 066504
E: Daniel.maskell@hsbeil.com