Careless Brits at the mercy of fraudsters, Equifax

Brits’ overloaded wallets are leaving them vulnerable to fraud, according to research from Equifax.

An online survey of over 2,000 people found that 74% carry at least two debit or credit cards in their purse or wallet, and 38% lay claim to three or more cards. Three in five are in possession of a debit or credit card and their driving licence.

It takes just three key pieces of information to steal a person’s identity, their name, address and date of birth, Equifax points out. Meanwhile, 2% of both 18-24 year olds and 45-54 year olds carry a list of passwords in their purse or wallet, with 1% of the male population admitting to doing so.

“In an era where fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods, there’s a clear and present threat of identity theft for all of us. We can never truly eliminate the risk but by taking sensible measures, the level of threat can be greatly reduced,” says Keith McGill, Head of Fraud at Equifax.

“People are taking unnecessary risks by carrying items containing sensitive personal information such as driving licenses, national insurance cards, and even written lists of passwords, making them walking targets for would-be fraudsters. We urge them to think carefully about what they take out with them on a day-to-day basis, and only carry what they really need.”