Staggering statistic No. 1: almost 25 per cent of people in the UK risk having their identity stolen when moving house, simply because they neglect to redirect their post.

Staggering statistic No. 2: more than one in ten of those who do remember to redirect their post, then make themselves vulnerable by leaving personal documents behind.

New research released by CreditExpert.co.uk, the Experian online credit monitoring and identity protection service, shows that too many of us leave behind personal information that can be used to commit identity fraud. Even when we take precautions, 70 per cent of new residents still receive post addressed to the previous occupants. This is often used to commit identity fraud.

To avoid becoming a victim, there are some basic steps everyone should take.

Tell everyone you’ve moved First, let all relevant organisations know of your change of address. Start with the Royal Mail’s free online change of address service. It’s a great reminder of everything one should do, and very simple to use. Little wonder it’s regularly used by around 1,000 companies and organisations, including banks, utilities and government agencies. Details can be found on www.iammoving.com

Check your credit report Your credit report is your personal credit and financial history, which is compiled and held securely by credit reference agencies such as Experian, the UK’s largest.

Unexpected changes to your report can be the first sign that someone’s using your identity illegally, possibly applying for loans or credit cards in your name.

The easiest way to monitor your report is to join CreditExpert. Membership means you can inspect your credit report as often as you like, and instantly. You’ll also be sent a weekly e-mail or text message if a significant change, such as a new search by a lender, is registered. Click here for a free 30-day trial of CreditExpert and to view your credit report.*

Control your post Use the Royal Mail’s Redirection Service to ensure mail sent to you at your old address is forwarded. You can choose to redirect your post for one, three, six or 12 months. After that period, you can renew for up to two years. It’s a good idea to redirect your post for at least a year. Taking the service for only a short time is a false economy if personal data falls into the wrong hands.

You should also contact the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) at www.mpsonline.org.uk and ask them to remove your name from your previous address and from direct mailing lists.

The MPS does not stop mailings from organisations you’ve dealt with directly or been a customer of in the past, so you’ll still need to contact them individually about your change of address.