TransUnion(R) Survey Finds That Consumers Are Embracing New Identity Protection and Payment Tech to Safeguard Against Identity Theft
CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - November 11, 2015) - More than half (54 percent) of consumers recognize an increase in data breaches this year compared to last, according to TransUnion's (
"The drop in consumer fear of security breaches is not reflective of the security environment today," said Ken Chaplin, senior vice president for TransUnion®. "Data breaches are inevitable and most consumers are vulnerable to identity theft, so it's crucial that they remain vigilant and take steps to mitigate their risk, especially during the holidays."
The TransUnion survey also found that as consumers embrace and use new payment and protection technologies, they also feel more personal accountability for their own security. New technologies like EMV credit cards contributed to consumers' sense of security and protection. This year, U.S. card companies began full-scale migration to chip-enabled or EMV credit cards, which use built-in computer chips to authenticate card transactions. TransUnion's survey found that more than two-thirds of consumers are aware of this new technology and, of them, 59 percent said they feel more secure using chip-enabled cards than magnetic strip ones.
At the same time, consumers hold themselves more accountable than ever for their own protection. When asked who, among banks, credit card companies, government, law enforcement, retailers or themselves, is most responsible for protecting them from identity theft, more than a third (36 percent) answered that they felt the primary responsibility for their security. Only 24 percent said they hold credit card companies primarily responsible and 17 percent said retailers.
"We are glad to see consumers take responsibility for their own security," said Chaplin. "Preventive steps like regularly checking your bank statements, credit card statements and credit report are the most important things consumers can do during the holiday season. Frequent, thorough monitoring and early fraud detection are measures that need to be taken to protect against identity theft."
To help safeguard against fraud this holiday season, TransUnion's Ken Chaplin offers the following tips:
For more information on how you can help keep your identity safe, visit TransUnion's website.
For more information about TransUnion's Credit Monitoring, please visit: http://www.transunion.com/personal-credit/credit-management/credit-monitoring.page.
About the Survey
The online survey includes responses from 1,024 U.S. consumers between the ages of 18 and 64. The survey was conducted between October 9, 2015 and October 11, 2015.
About TransUnion (
Information is a powerful thing. At TransUnion, we realize that. We are dedicated to finding innovative ways information can be used to help individuals make better and smarter decisions. We help uncover unique stories, trends and insights behind each data point, using historical information as well as alternative data sources. This allows a variety of markets and businesses to better manage risk and consumers to better manage their credit, personal information and identity. Today, TransUnion has a global presence in more than 30 countries and a leading presence in several international markets across North America, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Through the power of information, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies and families and safer communities worldwide.
We call this Information for Good. www.transunion.com
Contact Information:
Contact
Bob Skwarek
TransUnion
rskware@transunion.com
312-985-2453