for example an individual might register his bank account or credit card numbers with the system of the present invention thereafter any impostor who attempted to use that individual 39 s stolen credit card or bank statement as evidence of identity would be automatically linked to the rightful owner 39 s chosen referees who would naturally detect the fraud it should also be noted that whereas previous identification methods focus upon the relationship between an individual and certain authorities or institutions the present invention focuses upon the relation between an individual and his peers the relationship between an individual seeking to protect himself from identity fraud and his chosen referees is in principle a reciprocal one so that in practice it is to be expected that individuals will voluntarily commit themselves to act co operatively as referees for one another further the present invention protects the personal confidentiality of the individual better than previous identification methods all of which require that certain identifying information be put either into the public domain or into the hands of authorities according to the system and method of the present invention all identifying information e g name address bank account details etc volunteered by the individual is used merely to locate the individual 39 s chosen referees in the database it is never necessary for any such identifying information to be disclosed preventing the identities of dead people from being assumed particularly the recently deceased is a considerable.