| As the recession hits harder and more people struggle | | | | that they would not make purchases online due to |
| to make ends meet, the last thing anyone would want | | | | concerns regarding security. |
| is to be hit by credit card fraud. | | | | Two-thirds of the 1000 consumers surveyed said their |
| But as more people struggle to hold on tight to their | | | | details were protected via MasterCard SecureCode |
| cash, a number of others are trying just as hard to | | | | or Verified by Visa and as a result, still shop online |
| take it away. | | | | regardless of the fraud. |
| CIFAS, the UK’s fraud prevention service, said that | | | | Simon Stokes, CyberSource managing director said: |
| identity theft alone costs the UK economy | | | | "The challenge to the industry is educating consumers |
| approximately over £2.4 billion a year. | | | | to shop safely, to minimise their exposure to fraud. |
| The US outfit, Fortify Software, predicts that one in | | | | As more people gain access to the internet and realise |
| three UK adult consumers will fall victim of credit card | | | | the convenience, value, and safety of shopping online, I |
| fraud compared to one in four last year- that’s an | | | | believe we'll see a higher percentage trying and |
| increase of 33 per cent in just 12 months. | | | | staying with this form of purchase." |
| The firm has therefore forecasted a pretty gloomy | | | | Credit Card Fraud: A Thing of the Past? |
| outlook for 2009 as it could have a knock-on affect to | | | | For those who avoid making online purchases, or are |
| other industries, i.e the online businesses. | | | | extra cautious when buying online, you may need not |
| | | | fear as credit card fraud could become a thing of the |
| Online Shoppers to "Shop Safely" | | | | past thanks to a new package by a security software |
| Due to the current downturn of the UK economy, | | | | firm. |
| more fraudsters are turning to new ways of | | | | AVG has upgraded its packages and will now be |
| scamming their way into making money. | | | | offering customers protection against identity theft. |
| As buying online becomes a cheaper and more | | | | The firms Identity Protection (IDP) is specifically |
| convenient way of shopping in this century’s busy | | | | designed to prevent thieves from obtaining passwords, |
| and hectic lifestyle, and with fewer Brits protecting their | | | | bank account details, credit card numbers etc. |
| personal details online, more fraudsters are being | | | | AVG's Paul Burke said: "As good as we are at getting |
| drawn in to credit card fraud. | | | | notifications of threats – and with 80 million users |
| However, with the growing number of Brits open to | | | | we get a new threat about every four seconds – |
| internet access, it could be unlikely that it may happen | | | | having behavioural technology means we can step in |
| to you…so you would think. | | | | earlier. |
| A recent survey found that a large number of UK | | | | One of the major concerns about behavioural is that |
| consumers have admitted that they or someone they | | | | you get false positives – but this software can |
| know has been a victim to online credit card fraud. | | | | 'phone home' to check any borderline suspicious |
| Research by the payment technology firm, | | | | executable program files against our database. |
| CyberSource found that a third of UK consumers | | | | The other thing we liked is that the behavioural |
| have been hit or know someone who has been hit by | | | | software is pretty good at isolating and removing the |
| the scam. | | | | malware before it causes a problem. It's got a good |
| As a result, 41 per cent of British consumers admitted | | | | success rate. |