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More consumers are concerned about the misuse of their credit and debit card details than were two years ago, suggest the results of a Unisys Corp. survey. The survey it conducted in February of 1,004 adults found that 68% either were very concerned or extremely concerned. Only 10% of respondents said they were not concerned, the lowest percentage in the two-year history of the survey. The remainder, 22%, said they were somewhat concerned. In August 2007, 64% of all respondents said they were extremely or very concerned about the misuse of their credit and debit card details. Given the state of the economy and the current financial crisis, it is not surprising consumers have such concerns, says Sidney Pearl, Unisys director of risk intelligence, global industries. "The economy's pervasive effects go well beyond job losses and home foreclosures," Pearl tells CardLine in a statement. "Our data show most people see an immediate, personal risk from greater fraud. Yet criminals see this risk as an opportunity, and new social-engineering fraud schemes can tap into consumers' fears." The survey also found that respondents with higher annual incomes were less fearful of this misuse. Of those making $75,000 or more, 53% were concerned about the misuse of their credit or debit information, compared with 73% of those making less than $25,000 who were. Middle-income respondents were just as concerned, with 72% of those making between $25,000 and $49,999 expressing worry and 69% of those with incomes between $50,000 and $74,999 doing so.
