NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The proliferation and usage of mobile devices is exponentially growing, as is consumers' dependence on the Web, causing many to lose sight of the importance of keeping their personal information and social media profiles secure and protected. This month, Cyber Security Awareness Month, Experian's ProtectMyID™ has teamed up with 20-year veteran and identity theft expert Chuck Whitlock to ensure consumers are armed with tips and information about how to protect themselves from becoming victims of online identity theft.
A video accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=235050
According to a recent survey* conducted on behalf of ProtectMyID, 90 percent of respondents own a laptop or a PC, while nearly half (49 percent) own a smartphone. Many people who own these devices aren't taking even simple steps to protect their valuable information. In fact, nearly 54 percent of respondents do not use a password to lock their phone and/or tablet.
Additional highlights from the survey include:
- More than 50 percent of people (51 percent) do not click the logout link or button when they are finished using social media accounts , leaving them vulnerable should their phone or laptop/tablet become lost or stolen.
- Many social networks have given users the power to set their privacy settings; however, only 18 percent of survey respondents proactively manage their privacy settings on an ongoing basis.
- More than 50 percent of respondents provide their birth date (61 percent), educational background (56 percent) and email addresses (51 percent) on social media profile settings.
"You are your own best protection," said Whitlock. "Take precautionary steps to defend against identity theft and look for products such as Experian's ProtectMyID, which alerts you should fraudulent activity of your Social Security, debit or credit card numbers be detected online."
To find out more information about ProtectMyID or ways to protect yourself from identity theft, visit www.protectmyid.com.
* Survey conducted in September 2011 by StrategyOne Research
The Experian's ProtectMyID logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10860