Britons 'three times more likely to fall prey to identity theft'

Research has shown that British people are three times more likely to become victims of identity theft than people in the US and other European countries.

The study by PayPal found that 14 per cent of UK respondents said they had been affected by online ID theft, compared to only three per cent of Germans and 11 per cent of Americans.

Forty per cent of Brits who had been victims of online ID theft said they had no idea how it had occurred, with 52 per cent discovering what had happened after being informed by their bank.

However, many people are failing to heed security advice as the survey shows that 43 per cent of Brits have shared internet passwords with family members and 42 per cent use an important date or name as their passwords.

Chief information security officer for PayPal Michael Barrett said: "Consumers everywhere can stay one step and better protect themselves online by following a few simple tips."

Meanwhile, Computer Weekly has reported that one in four people were placed at risk last year by details lost or stolen from financial services firms.
ADNFCR-1054-ID-18838919-ADNFCR

Add to del.icio.us Add to Y!MyWeb Submit to Digg Stumble It

Quick links
Compare loans Compare mortgages Compare pensions Compare life insurance	Compare investments Compare annuities Compare gas and electricity	Compare home phone Compare broadband Compare credit cards

Britons 'three times more likely to fall prey to identity theft'

Quick links