Smaller Communities To Receive Anti-Fraud Passport Measures

A high-tech weapon in the fight against passport fraud has arrived at the UK's smaller and island communities.

The secure video link allowing first-time passport applicants to be interviewed by trained staff hundreds of miles away is rolling out to smaller communities and islands in Scotland, England and Wales.

It is one of a range of anti-fraud measures introduced by the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) to keep the British passport among the most secure in the world. IPS prevented around 10,000 fraudulent applications last year.

The hi-tech link follows the introduction of 68 interview offices set up over the last 18 months to interview first-time adult passport applications face-to-face in a bid to deter fraudsters.

The new service is operated in partnership with local authorities who provide premises and staff to facilitate the interviews with IPS officials at a central office.

As well as a powerful fraud deterrent, video link interviews are more convenient for the estimated 4,000 customers from far-flung communities in England, Scotland and Wales who apply for a passport each year.

Home Office Minister for Identity, Meg Hillier, said: "Face-to-face interviews are a major step forward in stopping fraudsters set on hijacking other people's identities to carry out serious crimes.

"However, most people are law-abiding citizens who just want a passport without fuss. Interviews by video link will benefit thousands of people living in smaller and island communities while ensuring the British passport remains one of the most secure passports in the world."

Investigations have shown that passport fraud - a growing problem worldwide - is often intricately linked with other criminal activity such as benefit fraud, illegal immigration, illegal working, drug trafficking and terrorism.

The interview requirement is one of a range of measures developed by IPS to stop criminals hijacking other people's identities to carry out serious crimes.

(JM/BMcC)