More and more users are becoming aware of their privacy on the internet. It appears that online crime and fraud have entered into the consciousness of users. Gone are those days when users did not care about setting privacy limits in their surfing activities. Now, they want to know how their shared information will be handled. There are an growing number of users who seek fraud protection from retailers.
There was a recent survey regarding online fraud consciousness of users. It was conducted jointly by a privacy research firm and a fraud prevention service provider. Its results revealed that 85% of users today worry about becoming an online fraud victim. This is higher as opposed to the 80% the last time the same entities conducted a similar study. The latest results collected from the sample population implied that users are worrying about identity theft, credit card scams, spam, phishing, and others.
The respondents said that web retailers should deepen their efforts to beat online fraud. They said further that retailers should do their best to prevent online criminals from stealing customer information. They even expressed their eagerness to be identified online if there are trusted sites. From the survey, a good number of respondents recommended the use of computer serial number, ISP, computer type and make for authentication purposes. This is an alternative to the usual individually identifiable information like telephone number and date of birth.
It is only now that online businesses are paying attention to the importance and seriousness of online fraud. Much of the incidents have not been properly reported, although these have been going on for a long time. There is a tremendous increase in online transactions and activities using various devices. Along with this surge is the onslaught of fraudulent activities. With these occurrences, users might have realized the need for their protection, given that many have already been victims.
The survey involved 607 respondents who are recurring internet users. Out of these users, 42% admitted that they have already been victims of fraud. It is sad to note that out of these victims, 81% did not take any action to report the crime. Although there is an increasing knowledge of fraud protection, there is still a need for more consumer education. This should focus on how to evade online fraud and the accurate action to take in the event they become victims.
Do not become a victim to Internet scams. Protect yourself with a very strong anti-virus, a good anti-spyware and an anonymous proxy to protect yourself from hackers on the web.