Victims of identify fraud are so blas that the majority do absolutely nothing to prevent them being conned a second time according to new research released today. This 'don't care' attitude is leading to a growth in a new type of repeat victim that finds themselves scammed more than once for failing to take simple precautions.
Only a third of identity theft victims take steps to prevent a second run in with fraudsters according to recent research. Although 54% said that the experience of losing money through identity theft them feeling angry, roughly one in four said they would have to become a victim for a second time before taking more care.
The study conducted by life assistance firm COP uncovered that although around 40% said that losing money through identity theft had made them more concerned about securing their personal details, more than 1 in 5 victims admitted they either don't understand how they can secure their personal data or are too lazy to take action. Unfortunately this attitude of 'it won't happen again' coupled with a lack of basic knowledge leaves victims just as vulnerable to a repeat incident.
There are some very simple steps you can take to make sure your personal data is secure. Refusing to give out personal details over the telephone or internet and making your mail secure can dramatically reduce the chances of becoming yet another crime statistic in scams that are costing the UK economy an incredible 1.3billion a year. Given how simple these steps are, it is somewhat shocking that victims of crime aren't more willing to protect themselves and their bank balance.
Danny Harrison, a spokesperson for CPP Identity Protection said: Given that identity theft can take months to resolve and can ruin your credit rating, it's worrying that many victims have not put simple measures in place to stop it happening again.
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