Survey: Singaporeans, Malaysians lax on security against IT fraud

Sep 14, 2007, 0:24 GMT

Singapore - Many Singaporeans have a lax attitude toward security to prevent internet and credit-card fraud, with one in three people queried using easy-to-recall numbers as passwords, a survey said Friday.

Nearly 20 per cent of respondents do not shred or tear up credit cards and bank statements before disposal.

The situation is similar in Malaysia, according to Unisys, which commissioned the survey. More than half of those queried also use easily remembered passwords and do not dispose of financial statements properly, said the findings published in The Straits Times.

'While financial institutions and information technology (IT) service providers have increased safeguards, people can do more to reduce their risk of identity theft or financial fraud,' Scott Whyman, general manager of South Asia for Unisys, was quoted as saying.

Identity theft can occur when a criminal hijacks personal data through 'phishing,' which lures victims to click on bogus bank websites, or by sifting through garbage for credit-card and bank statements.

In Hong Kong, the survey found that 28 per cent were lazy in their choice of passwords and 44 per cent did not tear or shred personal financial documents.

IT-related fraud in Singapore increased from 36 reports in 1996 to 91 cases last year, the report said.