Fraud victims deserve own helpdesks, says watchdog

A consumer watchdog is calling for banks, utility and mobile phone companies to set up dedicated identity theft helpdesks for distressed victims.

The National Consumer Council (NCC) is lobbying the government to ensure a minimum standard of service is offered in companies that deal with ID fraud, in a bid to make it easier for consumers to prove their identity.

The group said ultimately that could lead to a national ID theft 'help point' where consumers could report fraud.

A spokesman for the NCC told silicon.com: "We're asking companies to take a sympathetic line with customers who experience ID fraud. We've put out a call to companies to assign a member of staff to people going through torturous phone calls to prove they are who they are. This is really a plea to businesses to not treat these people as criminals."

The watchdog also suggested sector-wide support in industries such as insurance, credit, banking and mobile phones.

The NCC cited the Home Office's claim that identity fraud in the UK costs £1.7bn per year - although an investigation by silicon.com found the real figure was less than a third of that.