A recent experiment revealed that 81% of Londoners were willing to part with enough of their private details to facilitate identity theft for the chance of winning a modest prize. According to InfoWatch experts, the carelessness and trust displayed by those questioned would provide an organized crime gang with a healthy supply of private data to exploit or sell.
The research, carried out prior to the Infosecurity Europe 2006 exhibition, revealed that 81% of people polled outside Victoria station in London were willing to part with their personal data (more than enough to commit identity theft) for the chance of winning a fictitious Easter egg prize worth approximately $110.
The respondents were specifically invited to answer questions regarding sensitive information such as their date of birth, address, and mother’s maiden name. So as not to arouse suspicion, those questions were mixed in with others about household pets and Easter egg consumption. It resulted in the vast majority (81%) of those questioned revealing all their private data, with little or no thought given to the dangers involved.
Last year exactly the same research was carried out on the eve of Infosecurity Europe 2005, but then the prize was a pair of theater tickets. Analysts found then that 92% of the respondents revealed all their private details in the hope of winning the hypothetical prize.
The indiscretion displayed by ordinary Londoners with regard to their private data is quite staggering. Unsurprisingly, the credit card numbers of 400 Britons are sold over the Internet everyday according to The Register, which cites figures from The Times. The asking price is $5 per number, and reaches $175 for numbers with the accompanying PIN code. Thus, it seems, dealing in private data is a profitable business in the UK for the criminal underworld.
Last year Scotland Yard came up with three pieces of advice for people who don’t want to fall victim to identity theft and risk losing all their savings. Firstly, they suggested revealing your private details to as few people as possible. Secondly, shred any personal correspondence before throwing it away, and thirdly, don’t use the same password for different computer systems.
“The carelessness exhibited by some people is no secret. The results of the research did not surprise us when they were announced at Infosecurity in London. It’s all down to the human factor which is impossible to avoid. We can only hope that the level of indiscretion shown by the respondents in 2007 will be less than this year,” says Denis Zenkin, marketing director at InfoWatch.
Source: The Register
