One in eight Brits fall victim to identity fraud

A YouGov survey commissioned by VeriSign has found that 12 per cent of the UK population has been a victim of online identity fraud in the last year, with each victim losing an average of £463.

The survey found that British surfers are generally conscientious when buying online with 82 per cent only buying from secure sites.

However the research also shows that in the last 12 months £2.61bn has been stolen from UK consumers, with 14 per cent of victims still waiting to be reimbursed for the money stolen from them.

Other findings from the survey include that people aged 45 to 54 are most likely to fall victim to ID fraud whereas only 5 per cent of 18-to 24-year-olds have lost money online.

Londoners are the most careless when it comes to checking the security of sites they're buying from. The Welsh are the most likely to be defrauded and Scots least likely. Buyers from Northern Ireland are the most cautious.

Richard Hurley, communications manager at UK fraud prevention service CIFAS, said, "Whilst the rise in online spending is great for online retailers, it opens up a Pandora's Box of security threats.

"Cybercriminals are undoubtedly getting more devious, but consumers can easily lessen the likelihood of online fraud by stepping up their own awareness of how they can protect themselves online," Hurley continued.

The survey was commissioned to launch the VeriSign UK Online Fraud Barometer and is supported by an ongoing campaign on the Trust The Tick website to educate people on how to protect yourself online.