Loss of identity cards reaches a high

Poland’s Central Database System has revealed that, during Q3 of 2016, more than 39,000 people reported having lost identity cards, driver’s licenses and passports. The information was given in a report in the Polish Press on Tuesday. The number of reported lost or stolen documents has increased yearly since record-keeping began in 2008. However, the figure has been been higher than the average in each yearly quarter since the first half of 2015. The situation is especially problematic because identity theft is used to facilitate extortion. For instance, false-identity claims have been used to try to extract loans totalling PLN 3.54 billion over the past eight years. Officials warned that citizens who have lost an identity card –  including a bank card – report their loss by using an universal system card. In Poland, this can be obtained by calling the number (+48) 828 828 828.