Urgent warning issued to people selling their identities online
The ‘worrying trend’ that puts you at risk of identity fraud
- Fraud prevention service Cifas has identified a "worrying trend" of individuals selling their own identities, often for promised financial opportunities.
- This practice leaves people vulnerable to criminals taking out loans or credit in their name, leading to significant personal debt.
- Cifas's latest Fraudscape report revealed over 118,000 suspected identity fraud cases between January and June 2025, with AI significantly exacerbating the threat through synthetic identities and fabricated profiles.
- The report also highlighted a rise in employee fraud, including individuals concealing background information and engaging in "polygamous working" or using fraudulent references.
- Cifas CEO Mike Haley described fraud as a "national emergency" supercharged by AI, urging urgent, coordinated cross-sector collaboration to combat the evolving threat.