UK 'full of fraudsters' - survey

Just stumbled across this article.

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UK 'full of fraudsters' - survey

Dishonesty rampant in bogus Britain
By John Leyden
Published Thursday 24th November 2005 15:32 GMT

Dishonesty and fraud are widespread in the UK, with nearly half of people quizzed in a survey admitting to forgery and one in ten to low level identity fraud. A quarter of 1,000 Britons polled in a survey by document and identity verification firm TSSI confessed to exaggerating their educational qualifications to gain employment.

TSSI has a vested interest here, of course, in talking up the scope of the very dishonesty among the general public its technology is designed to addresses. Nonetheless we can't help but be impressed by the ability of its researchers to elicit admissions from random punters in train stations that might (were they not anonymous) result in an extended stay at Her Majesty's pleasure.

One in ten of those quizzed by TSSI admitted they had misused ID or access control systems by impersonating someone else or had assisted someone else to do so, while a third (32 per cent) admitted conning their way past security personnel. One in five (21 per cent) owned up to having used fake identity cards.

"Identity fraud is now a major risk to consumers, yet our study shows that low level identity abuse and fraud is commonplace to the extent that it is almost becoming socially acceptable," said Danny Chapchal, TSSI's executive chairman.

Nearly half (45 per cent) of Brits polled in the survey admitted to some kind of forgery. ID cards were by far the most popular item, with 18 per cent admitting to forging these. Other items included doctors notes (five per cent); fake letters on company letterhead (four per cent); reference letters (four per cent); travel tickets (two per cent); concert tickets (one per cent); and tickets for sporting events (one per cent).

Just over one in ten people (12 per cent) owned up to impersonating someone else over email. Seven per cent confessed to assuming another person’s identity through forging their signature on letters or cheques. Meanwhile one in seven (14 per cent) confessed to spying on people entering PINs, pass codes and passwords.

Swindon-based TSSI surveyed 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 60 at mainland stations in the UK in November in compiling its Dishonest Britain study. The report can be downloaded from TSSI's website here(registration required). ®

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UK 'full of fraudsters' - survey

I think this is one of those "Lies, Damned lies and statistics" surveys.

I had a fake Id when I was 17 so did most of my friends. I never used it until I was 18 and they wouldn't accept my real ID (driving licence) but would accept the fake??.

I've assumed my parents identity to buy things online before I had a credit card (with permission).

I think this company had a vested interest in highlighting ID misuse and the report is to be taken with a big pinch of salt.

Hi Aspman,

I was actually suprised that so many people gave "honest" answers, even though it was an anonymous survey.

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Originally posted here by Aspman

I think this company had a vested interest in highlighting ID misuse and the report is to be taken with a big pinch of salt.

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After reading the article a few times I have to agree with you.

Hi Paws,

The honest answers were pobably similar examples to what I wrote. I doubt too many people said that they were running phishing scams or cloning credit cards although that does seem to be what the spin on it implies.
The CV 'massaging' I have read about in the press and I suppose it it more commonplace and a more serious risk. I don't know how many companies actually check the qualifications of applicants especially private companies. It certainly happened to me where I am now (I used to bump my PgCert to a PgDip but I didn't with this job) and in my previous job I had a police background check carried out (was in a school, how did I pass that?) but I don't think they checked my qualifications.

Makes you wonder about incompetent senior staff and how they got there.

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Meanwhile one in seven (14 per cent) confessed to spying on people entering PINs, pass codes and passwords.

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That's the one, that should make people stand up and notice..... :mad:

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Makes you wonder about incompetent senior staff and how they got there

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Probably like they used to do when you wanted a commission in the military, buy in. :cool:

I took part in the National Crime survey last year. Something I will never agree to do again. For the most part the questions were fairly straight forward. However some sections were un-answerable, if you had not been a victim of violent or sex crime, I have not, there was no answer to show this and an answer had to be entered.

I got the impression there was a hidden agenda and the survey was heavily loaded to support the agenda. This was a National survey carried out at the behest of the government, with the questions, at the very least approved, if not set, by the government.

My point is, surveys are just a means to an end. What that end is, is up to you to figure out.

More then likely it has something to do with the recent proposal by one of your politicians to create new identity cards and the reasons why???

http://www.no2id.net/