Identity Fraud Experts Find That Thieves Are Targeting the ‘Tech Savvy’

A new study by the security and fraud group Experian has found that nearly a quarter of identity fraud victims in the UK last year were “tech savvy” users of social media and mobile technology. This rarified group of technologically inclined people, comprising 8% of the population, experienced a 17% uptick in identify fraud compared to 2014, according to a report by the BBC.

The implications of the Experian study are that users ought to be more cautious about safeguarding their data, passwords, and sensitive data they share with others. In particular, information that may shed light on the answers to security questions, such as the name of your first grade teacher or your first pet, should be hidden from the web.

The findings come hot on the heels of a study by fraud prevention service Cifas which observed that popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter had become “hunting grounds” for unscrupulous individuals who seek to steal sensitive private information. The study, which was described by The International Business Times, also cited figures stating that the incidence rate of identity theft in the UK overall had risen by 57% in 2015.

According to the BBC, Experian expert Nick Mothershaw stated “it is vital that those embracing technology also embrace protecting themselves online. Using the latest device doesn’t necessarily mean full protection and being complacent about the risk of ID theft makes for a tempting target for ID fraudsters.”

Suggesting that technologically active people ought to be concerned and more vigilant about the dangers of ID theft sounds like sensible, uncontroversial, and even obvious advice. But the implication underlying it is that the more you embrace and use technology, the more personal information you transmit into cyberspace and the more you expose yourself to the possibility of fraud. Those who do not own computers cannot be hacked. You can only lose your Facebook identity if you have a Facebook account.

This, in turn, raises questions about whether people who are use a lot of technology often deserve to be characterized as “tech savvy”. It seems reasonable to assume that tech savvy people are cyber-security savvy as well, or at least they ought to be.