Study shows increase in online information thefts

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By BREE FOWLER

NEW YORK (AP) - The number of Americans who say they've had important personal information stolen online is on the rise, according to a Pew Research Center report released Monday.

According to the survey conducted in January, 18 percent of online adults have had personal information stolen such as their social security number, credit card or bank account information. That's up from 11 percent in a July 2013 Pew survey.

The number of adults who had an online account compromised or taken over without their permission - such as email or social media - remained flat at 21 percent.

The survey was done after news broke of Target Corp. (TGT)'s massive pre-Christmas data breach, but well before last week's discovery of the "Heartbleed" bug, which has caused widespread worry across the Internet.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140414/DAD628E83.html

[AtheistCrusader]

1. This week I was hit for the first time in my life.

I've been using credit cards to order things online forever. Never got bitten till this week.

Hmm. I know, anecdote/correlation/causation.
Still, the timing is interesting to me, personally.

[defacto7]

2. First time for me a couple of months ago.

I took my 7 year old daughter to the Opera and she had to have a $5 pair of ear rings sold by the Opera store in the lobby. So I used my card because I brought no cash. Next day the bank calls and asked me, "Did you just buy $4000 worth of crystal dinner ware from a vendor in Louisiana?" I said, "hell no! I don't have $50 in my account". They just replaced my debt card. It's crazy.