Much of European Internet users are worried about their safety while surfing the web, according to a new survey by Eurobarometer.
89% of respondents said they avoid disclosing personal information online at any price, so that three quarters of people said they thought the risk of cybercrime has increased over the last year. Following this, more than one in ten reported being targeted by online fraudsters and 8% of people reported being victims of identity fraud.
Even more alarming was the revelation of the fraud prevention service CIFAS the UK earlier this year that online fraud had "exploded" 30% in the first quarter in 2012, largely due to an increase of the 40% surge in identity fraud.
However, despite the overwhelming concerns of most users and disturbing fraud figures, half of those interviewed for the Eurobarometer survey admitted they had taken no steps to intensify their security online by modifying one of their passwords in the last 12 months.
Indeed, while 48% of people said they did their banking on the Internet, more than one-half of them said they were unsure about the safety of the conduct financial transactions online. So what's fueling this unusual situation where people are really concerned about their safety online, but continuing to use the Internet in the same way, despite these concerns?
Well, according to the survey, it is a question of education. 59% of people said they felt under-informed about the dangers of cybercrime, while calls to CIFAS and the European Commission repeatedly for people to increase their online security apparently fell into the ear of deaf.
However, it is very simple step anyone can take to make them feel more comfortable when accessing the internet. A virtual private network (VPN) allows users to surf the web anonymously, which means their personal data - financial or otherwise - are kept hidden and away from the prying eyes of fraudsters and cybercriminals
In a time when criminals are. increasingly tech-savvy, do not employ the use of the latest in software encryption and privacy - as a virtual private network - leaves you open potentially disastrous consequences. Learn more about how VPNs work.
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