SCARED yet bo chap ('can't be bothered', in Hokkien).
That seems to be the profile of Singaporeans, from a recent survey on Internet and credit card fraud.
Consider: One in three admitted to using an easy-to-remember number, such as a birthday, as a password.
About 20 per cent of respondents - one in five - do not shred or tear up credit card and bank statements before disposal.
In stark contrast to this cavalier attitude, 80 per cent of the same 910 people surveyed, aged between 18 and 64, were very concerned about credit card fraud and identity theft.
Mr Scott Whyman, general manager of South Asia for Unisys, which commissioned the survey, has this to say about the results: Bank account holders and credit card members are the weakest link in preventing such fraud.
He added: 'While financial institutions and information technology service providers have increased safeguards, people can do more to reduce their risk of identity theft or financial fraud.'
Identity theft can occur when, say, a con man hijacks personal particulars through 'phishing' - such as luring victims to click on bogus bank websites - or sifting through garbage for credit card and bank statements.
With a credit card number alone, a skilled con man could cheat online retailers.
Findings of the September 2007 Unisys security index showed that the situation is similar in Malaysia.
There, more than half of those surveyed would use easy-to-remember passwords and do not dispose of financial statements properly.
In Hong Kong, 28 per cent were lazy in their choice of passwords and 44 per cent did not tear or shred personal financial documents.
One obvious solution: Use less obvious passwords and tear up financial documents before throwing these away.
Mr Whyman also recommended checking up on those who request information from you.
The value of this last advice was shown on Monday when a court heard how Vincent Cheok Bok Soon ran recruitment ads and used details in the application forms to apply for credit cards.
The jobless Cheok, 34, chalked up about $30,000 with the fraudulently obtained cards. He was jailed for four years and four months for forgery.
IT-related fraud cases increased from 36 in 2006 to 91 last year. There were nine cases between this January and March.
Visit www.unisyssecurityindex.com.sg for more information on preventing identity theft.
