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Swedes Warned of Rising Identity Theft Threats: Experts Offer Protection Methods

As identity theft cases continue to plague Sweden, authorities are urging citizens to take necessary precautions to safeguard their personal information. The Swedish Tax Agency and other organizations have implemented various measures to prevent unauthorized access and changes to individuals’ listed addresses in the country’s Population Register.

Protecting Your Identity

To combat this growing issue, experts recommend several methods for protecting one’s identity:

  • Block unauthorized change of address notifications through the Swedish Tax Agency’s e-services. This ensures that any changes or notifications made to an individual’s address are thoroughly verified before being processed.
  • Register a digital mailbox and monitor one’s address. This service will notify individuals if their listed address has been changed, allowing them to take prompt action to prevent potential identity fraud.

Additional Measures

Additionally, the Swedish Tax Agency recommends:

  • Blocking registration of representatives via paper form through its e-service “Representatives and Authorisation”. By doing so, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized parties gaining access to their personal information.
  • Regularly checking that they are registered at the correct address by logging into the Swedish Tax Agency’s “My Pages” service and verifying one’s Population Registration details.

What to Do in Case of Identity Theft

In the event of an identity theft incident, victims are advised to report the matter to the police immediately. The Swedish Police provides a dedicated hotline for reporting such incidents.

Additional Resources

To further assist citizens in protecting their identities, Svensk Adressändring (the Swedish change of address service) offers an “Address Lock” e-service that prevents unauthorized parties from registering changes to one’s address or redirecting post.

Conclusion

By taking these proactive measures, Swedes can significantly reduce the risk of identity theft and protect their personal information. The Swedish Tax Agency urges citizens to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to prevent potential fraud.