BRENTWOOD is among the 10 most targeted towns in the UK for identity theft, a study has found.

A regional analysis of 286 UK towns and territories by Experian, a global information services company, shows that Brentwood is placed at number six on the list of UK hotspots for third-party fraud.

The independent study was commissioned using web monitoring technology – which monitors the web to help people quickly detect ID theft, loss or disclosure of vital personal and financial information – and showed an increase of 40 per cent from last year alone and 300 per cent on the total amount traded in 2012.

This type of crime occurs when a fraudster impersonates the genuine identity owner on a credit application, or uses the victim’s existing credit, for his or her own financial gain.

Peter Turner, Managing Director with Experian Consumer Services, UK & Ireland, said: "These findings are startling and combined with the fact that we have also seen a 37% increase in those receiving help from the Experian Victims of Fraud team in the last year, it is clear that residents in areas of higher fraud concentration, such as Brentwood, must be vigilant about protecting their identities."

Experian is encouraging residents to use secure, unique passwords, ignore temptation to open phishing emails and to ensure mobile phones are secured with a passcode.

The company also advises people not to access sensitive financial information while using public wi-fi.