The newspapers are full of concerns over ID fraud — the threat of someone stealing your identity and buying goods in your name, with you having to pay the bill. In fact, it is normally the bank which bears the costs. Nonetheless, the huge amount of hassle and time in sorting this out is a nightmare and often means that, in the interim, you are unable to apply for new products yourself. So if you are concerned to gain protection from ID fraud, here is a tip: If you have any Capital One credit card, or apply for a new one, you will get a free subscription to its ID Fraud Alert service. And you never actually need to use the card to get the ID fraud protection. What does the protection cover? You get two free credit reports a year — a good way of spotting if anyone is making applications in your name; plus email alerts and specialist advice via an ID fraud helpline seven days a week.
