Experts have warned the public following a rise in scams fueled by identity theft.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has reported a 97 per cent increase in organised insurance fraud by stolen identities in the past year.

Identity theft has a catastrophic financial impact on victims and aids a broad spectrum of insurance scams, including perilous crash for cash operations and ghost broking.

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Cifas, a not-for-profit organisation, revealed that the majority of impersonation victims are now over 61 years old.

Urging the public to be observant, the IFB has launched a campaign to combat the growing problem.

Ursula Jallow, director at the IFB, said: "We’ve seen a worrying rise in insurance fraud made possible by identity theft.

"Stolen personal information can be used for every financial crime imaginable, and victims of impersonation who are often elderly or vulnerable, face devastating consequences.

"We urge everyone to be cautious when sharing personal details and to spread the word to their friends and family.

"If anyone thinks their information has been used in an insurance scam, they should report it to our confidential CheatLine.”

Stephen Dalton, director of intelligence at Cifas, said: "It's vital that individuals protect their information by never divulging financial details or credentials that could be used against them."