Tax credits breach estimates higher

DWP identity fraud scam bigger than expected

The government has admitted that the number of civil servants whose identities were stolen by online fraudsters is higher than originally thought.

Last week the HM Revenue & Customs tax credits web site was shut down when it emerged that more than 1,500 stolen civil servant identities were used to try to make fraudulent online claims (Computing, 8 December).

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) now believes the figure is higher, but says the security breach is isolated to the computer records of Jobcentre Plus employees servicing the London region, including call centre staff in Glasgow, Makerfield and Pembroke.

The Public and Commercial Services union says that the DWP’s 2003/04 payroll system, holding the records of 13,000 employees, was breached.