Identity Repair Policy

What to do if you're a victim of identity theft

If you think someone has used your identity without your permission — including in connection with a background check or right-to-work check carried out through Zinc — the steps below can help you regain control and protect yourself.

If your concern relates to a check Zinc carried out on you, contact us first at legal@zincwork.com. Tell us what happened and we'll help you understand what Zinc holds about you and what we can do.

More generally, if you've been a victim of identity theft:

1. Act promptly. Contact your bank or card provider straight away to report suspicious activity and, if needed, freeze affected accounts.
2. Check your credit reports with the three main credit reference agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — and flag anything you don't recognise.
3. Register for protective support with Cifas, the UK's fraud prevention service, which can add extra checks to your name to stop further fraudulent applications.
4. Consider a credit-checking service so you're alerted if new accounts are opened in your name.
5. Contact your existing creditors — banks, credit card providers, store cards, phone and utility companies — either to flag affected accounts or ask them to monitor for unusual activity if they haven't been affected yet.
6. Report the fraud through Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland (Scotland).
7. Secure your accounts — review and change passwords for email, banking and social media, secure your home network, and consider using a password manager to generate and store strong passwords going forward.
8. If you're worried about your wellbeing or feel unsafe, Citizens Advice and dedicated victim support services can help, particularly if the fraud has caused financial hardship or distress.
9. Reduce future exposure by registering with the Mailing Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service, and by registering for free property-alert notifications with HM Land Registry to be notified of any changes to property in your name.
10. Keep records as you go — reference numbers, dates, who you spoke to, and copies of correspondence. You'll need these if you have to dispute transactions or claims later.

If your bank or card provider has already reimbursed you for fraudulent transactions, or if you're unsure what to do next, they can usually point you to their own fraud-support process.