I don't suppose there will ever be any totally foolproof way of identification. We could try fingerprint recognition, eye scans and even electronic chips implanted at birth but where would we draw the line with that?
Shaun Miller, Darlington

I believe there is a loophole when you pay for items over the telephone giving personal details. For example the shop, cinema or theatre will ask for name, number on card and expiry without seeing the card. The unscrupulous might copy those details and use them elsewhere. You take a lot on trust, but it shows how easy it is to use someone else's identity.
Andrew Bell, Hampshire

One security measure everyone should take is to buy a shredder Matt Dolan, Bath

My identity was used to obtain credit and store cards. What was more shocking was that these were done using my previous address and with banks where I actually hold a current account and credit cards! I carried out some investigation and found out the name of the person who had committed the crime. I have passed the details to the police but they seem powerless.
Steve Uzoma, London

Why don't the police warn people who have been burgled about the dangers of ID theft? We were burgled last summer and only realised that my ID had been used weeks later when we found that someone had accessed our building society account - and withdrawn tens of thousands of pounds.
Jonathan Sumner, London

One security measure everyone should take is to buy a shredder.
Matt Dolan, Bath

Until a proper ID card is introduced to include eyeball imaging or a similar distinguishing feature, and until it is carried by everyone, this crime will continue.

If you have nothing to hide why should you worry about being asked to produce ID?
Chrissi, UK

I was shocked, but not surprised by how easy it was to take over another's identity. The proposed ID, sorry, "Entitlement" cards based on the existing insecure identification methods, will be fundamentally flawed.
Anna Langley, London, UK

Since a friend of mine was a victim of identity theft, I shred all of my correspondence containing personal details before binning it.
Steve Hickey, Sheffield

We always put mail with an address on or with any information concerning us into a "burn-bag" Diane, Shipley

I was horrified at how easy it was to obtain copies of birth certificates and driving licences. Obviously the whole system needs an overhaul as a matter of extreme urgency. The programme made it look so easy, I hope it does not encourage even more fraudsters to have a go.
Angela, UK

The man who impersonated my husband only had his name, our address and our telephone number. He used a fake DOB and still only one out of the five banks he approached for finance spotted this and alerted us to the situation. I think the banks and building societies are very much to blame as they did not use information available to them to verify this person was who he said he was.
Julia, Surrey

I am amazed at how careless people are with their personal information. We always put mail with an address on or with any information concerning us into a "burn-bag" (old plastic carrier bag). This is shredded or burned, sometimes both. It is after all common sense.
Diane, Shipley

He found that some 12 credit cards had been applied for in his name Mike F, Stockport

Obtaining primary ID is easy. This blows the credit cards industries' chip and pin system out of the water? A thumbprint signature scheme has been successfully operating in the north of Scotland for over a year and credit card crime has fallen. Register the fact that you will submit a print, and that documents you carry are embossed with print logos overtly or covertly, then you are saying to fraudsters "use my ID for gain at your peril."
James Jamieson, Scarborough

A friend of mine found that he had been 'cloned' after he moved house. When he eventually got round to having his mail redirected he was told that it was already being redirected (to an empty house). After he had had the mail redirected to his new, correct address he found that some 12 credit cards had been applied for in his name at the false address.
Mike F, Stockport

I recently opened a store card account. It took five minutes and I paid for �200 worth of goods. All I needed was a name and address. It could have been anyone's address. This is very worrying.
Louise, London

As a registrar of births and deaths, I am increasingly concerned about the ease with which people can obtain certificates. Also the impending changes whereby it is all done by phone or electronically, will destroy the last barrier you have when someone is lying - gut instinct.
Anon, UK

I am horrified at how easily these fraudsters can take over other people's identities and wreck innocent lives. There are obviously loopholes in obtaining documents that need urgent review. These people need to be stopped.
Teresa, UK

I signed my name incorrectly on the payment slip but was not questioned. George, Stockport

I hope this programme makes more people aware of how important it is to keep track of their personal details. But I also hope the wrong kind people were not watching the programme and get ideas from it.
Karen, Nottingham

Anyone who has done family history research will know how easy it is to get a birth, marriage or death certificate.
Gerald Crease, Canterbury

I have been a victim of such a crime. But after reporting the incident to all the companies involved one of them did not terminate the service for a further two months and another approved an �8000 loan.
Julio Naveira, Kingston on Thames

As a test of my local supermarket, when presenting my debit card I signed my name incorrectly on the payment slip but was not questioned. Should supermarket assistants take some of the blame?
George, Stockport

I keep getting credit application forms, filled in with bank details for the previous owner of my house. I have phoned the bank several times to tell them he moved away, but they continue coming. This has been going on for 3 years. I could easily sign the form, send it off with no problems at all. Scary stuff.
Andy B, Sheffield

How and why is it, the media exposes these Fraudsters? What do our security services and Police do? This is, I think, a National Security Issue
Phil Nosworthy, Hayes, Middlesex

I hope this programme makes more people aware of how important it is to keep track of their personal details Karen, Nottingham

I was recently a victim of a similar crime as my identity was used to obtain credit and store cards. What was more shocking was that these were done using my previous address and with banks where I actually hold a current account and credit cards! I carried out some investigation and found out the name of the person who had committed the crime. I have passed the details to the police but they seem powerless!
Steve Uzoma, London

The police should warn people who have been burgled about the dangers of ID theft. We were burgled last summer and only realised that my ID had been used weeks later when we found that someone had accessed our building society account - and withdrawn tens of thousands of pounds - by using my birth certificate which had been stolen at the time.
Jonathan Sumner, Wimbledon

I work in the fraud department, and get quite shocked as to how naive some individuals are, I hope this programme makes more people aware of how important it is to keep track of their personal details. I just hope not too many of the wrong kind of people were watching the programme and got ideas from it
Karen, Nottingham

I believe there is a loophole when you pay for items over the phone - giving personal details for example the shop, cinema or theatre will ask for name, number on the card and expiry without seeing the card. The unscrupulous might copy those details and use them elsewhere. You take a lot on trust, but it shows how easy it is to use someone else's identity.
Andrew Bell, Hampshire

Shops can swipe your card, hand it back and you sign the receipt from the till after they give you back your card and nothing is checked .That's why cards are costing the banks and ultimately us millions
Fraser McLaughlin, Inverness

The policy on providing these details should be reviewed and tightened up William Simpson

My bank account was raided by an individual who had intercepted my post and taken my bank statement and utility bills into my bank branch, then withdrawn quantities of money posing as me successfully! Lee Fox

Why would a criminal need to worry about holding up a bank, post office or paper shop if all they need to do is ask for the relevant papers to pose as someone else. It is clear some legislation needs to be put into place to prevent anyone from receiving a copy of these without scrutiny.
Wesley, Stockport, Cheshire

I think that it's a disgrace that fraudsters have access to personal birth details. The policy on providing these details should be reviewed and tightened up.
William Simpson, Aberdeen

This sounds like a great way for the government to sneak in an ID card system. What would stop this from being abused in the same way? All this poses a serious threat to our liberty and freedom.
Jonny H, UK