Identity theft in its various manifestations is a growing problem. Those to whom it has happened usually find it very difficult and worrying. It follows that it is very important that everyone takes a moment to think about it and how to minimise the risk of it happening.

Vehicles are being "cloned" to avoid camera caught offences, to hide their identity and to give a false history for sale. Because the police have access to the vehicle database at DVLA, Swansea, there is little point in the thief simply picking a registration number at random. If he does, a police DVLA check would show immediately that the Mini ahead is registered as a Volvo and something is wrong. As the whole idea is not to be stopped and identified by the police, such an approach is stupid. Instead they look for another Mini with the same specifications and take over its number. A quick DVLA check now confirms it is indeed a Mini apparently correctly registered. Now the problems start for the true owner, who has no idea there is a problem, as his car was not stolen. However when the unpaid parking tickets, speeding fines, London congestion charge demands etc start flooding in, it is up to the unfortunate individual to try to prove that he was not responsible. Not surprisingly that is extremely difficult, stressful and time wasting as the authorities concerned simply will not believe him just because he says it isn't true. He may end up having to reregister his car with a different number. There have been incidents where an innocent motorist has been stopped by armed police because the car he is driving has the number plate of the vehicle used in the robbery. In my case, both my car and its personalised LAW number plate are well known, recognised and observed so that hopefully I would be able to show where it was at any time.

One hazard for the cloners is that the information available to the police also includes whether or not the car is currently insured. Pick a number from one that is uninsured and the cloner's vehicle could be seized and crushed instead. Isn't life unfair?

Such cloning also is used to change the history of a car being sold. A check with the various authorities will apparently show the vehicle has not been stolen, written off in an accident, has a low mileage and is not subject to hire purchase. Unfortunately that information does not refer to the car you have just paid for but to the one that really has that registered number. Check the VIN matches too. If you have paid a private individual for a vehicle that is not genuine, there is little chance of getting any money back.

Human identities are also stolen. I have come across a number of cases where it is said that an individual has convictions, which he has not. This may be as a result of error where names are similar or it could well be that someone is using a false identity. Again attempting to prove the official record is wrong is likely to be an uphill struggle. The use of photo cards as part of the driving licence to be produced to court is helping to limit these cases but not everyone has such. Check your licence details are up to date. Not only is it an offence not to have notified DVLA of a change of address, but you are also opening yourself to identity theft by the use of official documents still being sent there.

Similarly, and increasingly, false identities are being used to defraud. The first you may know about it is when your bank account has been cleared out or the debt collectors are at your door. Banks and credit agencies are becoming increasingly unwilling to accept your claim of innocence. Keep your PIN number separate from your cards. Don't tell anyone what it is and check your bank statements.

The simplest way of minimising the risk of identity theft is to take much more care about your personal details and evidence of them. Shredders are cheap. Anything with your name and address on it should not be thrown away but shredded first. This is particularly important for documents that banks, shops and credit agencies use to confirm your identity such as bank statements, council tax demands and utility bills. Get a shredder and get into the habit of using it always.

People are careless about what information they put on the computer, forgetting that, while they may be sitting securely at home, what they are putting on the web is for the whole world to see. A huge amount of personal information can be easily obtained from your web chatter. Not everyone reading it is honest. If there is something you wouldn't write down and leave lying about for anyone to read, don't put it on the web.