New TransUnion National Survey Reveals Majority of Seniors Fearful of Becoming the Victim of ID Theft, Yet Fail to Take Steps to Protect Themselves
CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Jul 22, 2014) - Identity theft is America's fastest-growing crime, yet the majority of seniors in the U.S. aren't taking all possible steps to protect themselves and outsmart thieves, according to a recent TransUnion survey.
The national survey of men and women revealed that 78 percent of respondents are concerned or extremely concerned about identity theft yet 61 percent only check their credit score once a year or less. While these "retirement-ready adults" recognize the importance of identity theft prevention, they are not taking many proactive measures to prevent it. Just 13 percent of adults ages 61-90 use identity theft-prevention products and 17 percent subscribe to a credit-monitoring service.
In a time where data breaches have become a regular occurrence, it's important that consumers take proactive measures to safeguard their identity. One simple way to monitor credit is to subscribe to an identity theft protection product or monitoring service. In fact, 79 percent of respondents agree that these services would be somewhat effective (46 percent) or very effective (33 percent) in reducing their risk of identity theft.
All consumers, including seniors, should monitor and review their credit report annually. If they believe they have been a victim, they should consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on their credit report.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation explains that senior-aged individuals may make easier targets for identity thieves because:
TransUnion provides the following tips to help seniors better minimize their exposure to identity theft:
Services like TransUnion's Instant Alerts or Credit Lock, which allows members to lock and unlock their credit from their mobile device, helps people rest assured that they're protecting their identities by blocking access to their credit reports and receiving notifications for new applications for credit in their name.
For more information on how seniors can better protect themselves from identity theft or to begin safeguarding yourself from identity thieves, visit www.TransUnion.com
About the Survey
The survey was conducted online by TransUnion Interactive, LLC on June 17-18, 2014. The results include responses from 503 U.S. residents over the age of 60.
About TransUnion
TransUnion Interactive, Inc. is a consumer subsidiary of TransUnion. As a global leader in credit and information management, TransUnion creates advantages for millions of people around the world by gathering, analyzing and delivering information. For businesses, TransUnion helps improve efficiency, manage risk, reduce costs and increase revenue by delivering comprehensive data and advanced analytics and decisioning. For consumers, TransUnion provides the tools, resources and education to help manage their credit health and achieve their financial goals. Through these and other efforts, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies worldwide. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Chicago, TransUnion employs associates in more than 33 countries on five continents. www.transunion.com. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TransUnion.
Contact Information:
Contact
John Branham
(512) 351-3512