Recent studies have shown that landlords are one of the groups most at risk for identity theft. Identity theft is the act of impersonating another, by means of using the person’s sensitive information, such as birth date, Social Security number, address, name, and bank account information. 

"Landlords account for half of identity fraud victims who knew the person that used their identity."

They are also at risk when renting out properties they have previously lived in. Many incidents of identity fraud are previous address fraud, where the tenant fraudulently uses the personal details of the previous resident by intercepting mail addressed to the victim.

The following are tips to help avoid landlord identity fraud:

• Make sure that none of your mail goes to your rental properties. A good way to do this is to use the mail forwarding cards from your Post Office on a regular basis.
• If you have lived previously in the address, take extra precaution in submitting mail-forwarding cards to the Post Office.
• Never forget to do a proper and thorough screening of you tenants.
• Never share mailboxes.
• Monitor your credit report to see if anyone has fraudulently applied for credit in your name.