1500 DWP Identities Stolen

Silicon reports ,that criminals have stolen the identities of 1,500 Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) staff and used them to make fraudulent claims on the government's tax credits website.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been forced to close the tax credit e-portal down while it develops new checks to ensure the system is secure.

The fraud came to light during compliance checks by HMRC and a criminal investigation is now underway into how the 1,500 DWP staff had their identities stolen.

HMRC is also setting up a helpline for any DWP staff who think they might be victims of the tax credit fraud.