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ID theft more likely in the UK than continental Europe

People in the UK are thrice as likely to become victims of identity theft compared to those in other European country, new research from PayPal's Global Trust and Safety Report shows.

According to the report, one in seven online shoppers (14 per cent) in the UK has been a victim of ID theft, higher when compared to Germany three per cent, Spain five per cent and France six per cent.

More worryingly, victims of this crime often have no idea how it occurred, despite almost half (49 per cent) of online users in the UK being "very concerned" about it.

"More identity theft tends to occur in countries where a higher percentage of e-commerce is concentrated," said chief information security officer Michael Barrett.

"But e-commerce is growing in prominence around the world, and fraudsters will likely follow the money. Consumers everywhere can stay one step ahead and better protect themselves online by following a few simple tips."

According to Paypal, internet users should avoid choosing weak or obvious passwords for accounts or compromising their passwords by publishing information on social networking sites.

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