Consumer credit and financial information provider Equifax has unveiled an online information system that it claims will help slash ID theft.

Specifically targeting the public sector, the Equifax eTrail service offers "instant" online access to the firm's consumer databases detailing the records of more than 45 million adults in the UK. This information, the company said, is derived from sources including the Electoral Roll, Registry Trust and its own database of over 300 million credit agreements.

According to the financial information firm, the service will help public sector organisations to meet both regulatory requirements and commercial pressures by allowing them to trace, authenticate, investigate and locate individuals.

It enables officials to investigate individuals under Sections 29 and 35 of the Data Protection Act 1998 for the purposes of crime prevention and facilitation of legal proceedings.

Lyn Jones, head of government services at Equifax said: "This information serves as a valuable tool in combating ID fraud by allowing staff to verify address information and process applications, quickly and efficiently."

However, Rob Bamforth, principal analyst at independent research group Quocirca, told Information World Review that information services such as eTrail need to be used judiciously to ensure legitimate privacy concerns are addressed.

"Coping with increasing demand from any service is fine when everything runs smoothly, and when everyone is honest. The problem is with exceptions, either accidental or deliberate. With public services the taxpayer expects both instant answers to their questions, but also sufficient control to avoid errors or abuse," Bamforth said.

"The quandary is when this requires personal information, how do we balance personal security versus the needs of society? Technology solutions such as eTrail can provide the tools, but the skills to use them safely still need some honing."