U.S. residents believe they are more likely to be victims of cybercrime than physical crime; that concern is leading them
to be more cautious online and, in some cases, to limit Internet activities, according to a new survey.
A study conducted by Opinion Research on behalf of IBM. found that more than three times the number of respondents believe
it is more likely they will be a victim of cybercrime than of an actual physical crime. As a result, Internet users in the
U.S. are becoming more careful about the kind of information they provide online, IBM said.
The survey was taken of nearly 700 adults who said they have Internet access either at home or where they work. According
to the study, 75 percent of respondents are taking measures to protect their data and personal information when they are online
because they are afraid of identity theft (43 percent), loss of money (24 percent) and harm to how well they score with U.S.
credit agencies (13 percent).
Seventy percent of respondents will only use Internet shopping sites that display a security protection seal, while 64 percent
will not conduct online transactions on a shared computer, the survey found. Moreover, 50 percent of users don't use public
wireless networks, such as hotspots in airports or coffee shops, 38 percent don't bank online and 37 percent will not use
credit card information online.
Internet users who were more comfortable providing personal data on the Internet cut back on the kinds of online activities
they participated in during the last 12 months, according to IBM. Twenty-seven percent of participants in the survey have
stopped buying from unfamiliar retailers online, while 18 percent of stopped paying bills online and 16 percent have stopped
playing online games.
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