People living in Croydon are the most likely in London to be the victim of identity fraud, according to new figures.

The postcode CR0 came top of a list of London postcodes for victims of identity fraud, as well as facility takeover - where someone hijacks and plunders your account.

The research was done by CIFAS, the UK's Fraud Prevention Service, and showed Croydon was seventh in the list of overall victims of fraud.

CIFAs members recorded 1,768 frauds in the CR0 area last year.

Sandra Peaston, CIFAS Research Manager, said: "London is a city of dense population where material wealth and disadvantage can be found in close proximity. It is therefore perhaps unsurprising that the most active fraud hotspots should be centred around the London area.

“The fact only three postal districts in the top 30 are outside London clearly underlines the intensity of this activity, which presents a rather bleak portrait of the nation's capital city."

CIFAS Communications Manager, Richard Hurley, added: "The geographical spread of victims is proof of the dangers faced by modern consumers. The relative closeness to London of victims of impersonation is, perhaps, not too surprising. With fraudsters requiring access to a full set of the victim's personal data, proximity is likely to be a factor. The range of locations where victims of takeover are to be found, however, just underlines how often this traumatic type of fraud is carried out remotely."

Other postal districts in the top ten include SE18 in Plumstead, IG11 in barking and E6 in East Ham .