COUNCIL planning applications are open to abuse by online cheats, an anti-fraud group has warned.

CIFAS, the fraud prevention service established by the consumer credit industry, says councils like Swindon are putting planning applications online with enough personal details for fraudsters to steal identities.

But Swindon Council says it has to publish the complete plans online, including people's names, addresses, telephone numbers and even their signatures by law.

CIFAS said this was putting people at risk of being victims of identity theft, under which criminals use personal details to apply for credit in their victim's name.

CIFAS said having drawn the problem to the attention of Government and local authority associations, it had been assured the issue would be addressed.

It said people should be made aware that their applications would be published online and told to only submit personal information that they are happy to have posted on the internet.

A Swindon Council spokesman said CIFAS could have a point but until the Government changed the Town and Country Planning Act, it had to publish the complete plans online.