A NEW website has been launched to assist businesses in protecting themselves and their customers from becoming victims of identity fraud.

The website - www.preventidfraud.org.uk - explains why businesses should be protecting themselves from identity fraud and provides advice on how to do so.

Anthony Pearlgood, British Security Industry Association Information Destruction Section chairman, said: "Identity fraud is an increasingly serious problem for UK businesses, with the crime costing the UK economy £1.7 billion.

"On top of the financial implications, becoming a victim of identity fraud can bring further problems, in terms of damage to your reputation and loss of customer confidence in your business. These issues can have serious and lasting consequences.

"The new website provides essential advice on how to protect your business and its customers from identity fraud. It covers ways of preventing your mail getting into the wrong hands, IT security issues, how to protect your company's details at Companies House and the importance of using a professional information destruction company which complies with British Standards to dispose of your confidential waste.

"By following these basic guidelines, you will go a long way to ensuring both that you comply with the Data Protection Act and that identity fraudsters cannot access and misappropriate your confidential data."

The website has been created by the British Security Industry Association and is endorsed by various members of the Identity Fraud Consumer Awareness Group: Call Credit, Card Watch, CIFAS - the UK's Fraud Prevention Service, Experian, Project Sterling, Retailers Against Crime, Royal Mail and the Scottish Business Crime Centre.

The British Security Industry Association is the trade association covering all aspects of the professional security industry in the UK. Its 570 members provide over 70 per cent of UK security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards.

For more information see www.bsia.co.uk, e-mail info@bsia.co.uk or telephone 0845 389 3889.