Two of the most important documents you will ever have in your possession are your driving licence and your passport. These documents not only entitle you to drive legally in the United Kingdom and other countries in the European Union but they also allow you to travel through any country in the world.
However a downside to this is the fact that these documents – should they fall into the wrong hands – may be used to allow other individuals to do the same and possibly commit criminal offences whilst doing so.
Your Driving Licence
One of two pieces of photographic ID that many institutions require as proof of identity, your driving licence can be used not only to prove that you are a fully qualified – or indeed learner driver – but also that you are who you say you are.
Institutions such as banks and building societies require that you produce your driving licence as a means of photographic ID because not only does it show your face in pictorial form, it also accompanies information as to your address, name and date of birth, as documented and recognised by a government body.
In the past driving licences could be easily forged which is way the paper driving licence was eventually phased out in favour of the photocard version. It must be said however that as documentation has evolved be it driving licences or passports, so too have the ways in which they can be counterfeited.
What Information Can be Found on My Driving Licence?
The most common pieces of information to be found on your driving licence are:
Name
Address
Date of Birth
Driver’s Number
The Vehicles You Can Drive
To most of us this information is standard and something we do not concern ourselves too much with but in the hands of an identity fraudster this information can be worth a considerable amount of money.
Not only can an identity thief use this information in order to try and open bank accounts illegally or to obtain money by deception but the driving licence itself can be altered to show the face of another individual but still show your details.
This is useful in the procurement of driving licences amongst the illegal immigrant community and indeed among individuals who are not legally obliged to drive because they have been disqualified.
Your Passport
Your passport contains as much useful information for an identity thief as your driving licence and again includes your photograph. Recognised also as a means of proving identity for banks and building societies your passport – if in the wrong hands – can provide information for an identity thief that might result in your wrongly being accused of obtain money by deception or indeed travelling to and from countries you have never visited.
Your passport includes the following information:
Your Passport Number
Your Surname
Your Given Names
Your Nationality
Your Date of Birth
Your Sex
Your Place of Birth
The Issue Date
The Expiry Date
Your Signature
All of this information – along with your photograph – can provide an identity thief with the basic information required to commit fraud or allow those wishing to evade detection by the authorities safe passage in and out of the country.
Looking after Your Passport and Driving Licence
Always keep your passport in a safe place. It is a document that you will not need often unless you travel a lot so keep it locked in a drawer or filing cabinet.
If you are carrying your driving licence with you do not leave it in your car. Keep it about your person in a pocket or wallet that is not easily gotten at. This is especially important as identity thieves are also known to be excellent at picking the pockets of unsuspecting victims.
Do not leave your passport in your vehicle for long periods of time or leave it in a vehicle overnight. If you are leaving your car parked overnight make sure your driving licence and any other information pertaining to your identity is with you at all times.
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nbph i would like to obtain passport visa and greene card and driving license
(rade) - 10-Mar-22 @ 9:01 AM
I have had my wallet stolen in India.
It contained a credit card and my driving licence.
Could a fraudster use my details from my driving licence to open an account?
Willy - 6-Dec-18 @ 2:21 AM
Hi
I have had my wallet stolen in India.
Credit card and driving licence were in my wallet.
The credit card has been stopped with nothing taken from it.
My driving licence is just out of date.
Could a fraudster use my details from my licence?
Willy - 6-Dec-18 @ 2:17 AM
Don1 - Your Question:
Received letter from bailiff company claiming I owed £1121. Upon investigating, it appears someone has stolen my driving licence details. I now mysteriously have 6 points on my licence. DVLA have agreed it wasn’t my car, and I have proved to them I wasn’t in the city of said offence. My question is how do I get 6 points removed??
Our Response:
You would have to contact the DVLA directly in the first instance, to explain the situation.
AboutIdentityTheft - 15-Jan-18 @ 10:59 AM
Received letter from bailiff company claiming I owed £1121. Upon investigating, it appears someone has stolen my driving licence details. I now mysteriously have 6 points on my licence. DVLA have agreed it wasn’t my car, and I have proved to them I wasn’t in the city of said offence. My question is how do I get 6 points removed??
Don1 - 14-Jan-18 @ 1:38 PM
caroline - Your Question:
Please mark my account with a fraud marker as I disclosed my driving licence details to a scam link to a dvla text message on Friday 3 November 2017. I have alerted action fraud and my bank.I am very concerned they will take my identity from my driving licence.
Our Response:
You would have to get in touch with DVLA directly to report this.
AboutIdentityTheft - 6-Nov-17 @ 2:15 PM
Please add an alert to my driving licence as I was victim to fraud to a text message from dvla on Friday 3 November 2017
I am concerned my Id will be stolen
None - 4-Nov-17 @ 12:57 PM
Please mark my account with a fraud marker as I disclosed my driving licence details to a scam link to a dvla text message on Friday 3 November 2017. I have alerted action fraud and my bank.I am very concerned they will take my identity from my driving licence.
caroline - 4-Nov-17 @ 12:55 PM
@Tamtam6 - you should let the DVLA know this.
Mot - 8-Sep-17 @ 2:56 PM
Ex is using my adress for driving licence
Tamtam6 - 8-Sep-17 @ 1:24 PM
Please advice, does the passport number go onto th eprovisional drivers licence?
Aann - 6-Jun-17 @ 11:58 AM
I have contacted DVLA 3 times , phone and in writing with my crime number. my estranged husband will not change his address on his driving licence and is able to obtain credit and finance , he even renewed his passport this year, I believed he stayed at the passport office and waited for new passport . His not lived at our address for nearly 3 years and refuses to change his address. DVLA will not take any notice of me, that it is up to the licence holder to change address. Even though I have given the address his been living all these years. TheLaws should change .
Sims - 11-Apr-17 @ 4:21 PM
My national insurance card and drivers licence have been stolen. what Risk is there if someone using them to get benefits or applying for a credit card or loan ?
Pd77 - 2-Feb-17 @ 11:51 AM
My landlord wants a copy of my driving license and passport, which i think is odd, what should I blank out to stop any doggy happening ? any advice please.
Mike
Mike - 27-Sep-14 @ 1:01 PM
Having pondered upon my stupidity I have realised that I have given out all of my drivers license details whilst applying for a loan. Applying online, I gave out every detail of my counterpart license, all of my personal details, mailing code, document issue number, everything apart from the franking details on the envelope.
The loan company, though seeming legitimate and of good standing, to my pondered thoughts will not know of the integrity of all of their employees.
I now find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to inform DVLA of my stupidity. BE CAREFUL!!!