The report, by UK anti-fraud organisation Cifas, said people in their 30s were the most targeted group, with identity frauds taking place almost exclusively online. Identities are stolen by gathering information such as name and address, date of birth and bank account details.

A total of 89,000 cases were recorded in the first 6 months of the year, a 5% rise on the same period last year and a new record high. There has been a sharp rise in ID fraudsters applying for insurance products, telecoms, loans and online retail.

As one of the UK’s leading referencing providers, working with thousands of letting agents across the country, Rent4sure is urging agents to find the right partner to help them avoid fraudulent applications getting through.

“At Rent4sure we follow stringent procedures to make sure an applicant is genuine,” said IT and Products Director, Jack Webb-Heller.

“Our system not only checks the address and name that applicants provide but also cross matches these against all the previous addresses and relevant information linked to that credit profile.

“We have a specially designed range of referencing services that work in tandem to ensure an identity isn’t stolen, which allows agents to choose the right product to cover any situation.”

For comprehensive passport checks, another area becoming increasingly susceptible to fraud, Rent4sure advises customers to use its gold standard Reference Plus product.

This is an easy, cost-effective way to help prevent identity fraud and includes a feature that allows agents to determine if passports and associated documents have been tampered with.

To find out more about how Rent4sure can add security and confidence to your business, contact us today on 0330 088 377 or click here.