Online criminals scare Brits more than burglars do

People are more worried about being 'mugged' online then they are about being burgled.

This was a key finding of research on consumer surfing habits released by the Government's Get Safe Online campaign, which was launched a year ago.

The results were announced to publicise a relaunch of the campaign, which is looking for more companies to support the initiative.

It found that nearly a quarter (21 per cent) of respondents felt most at risk from cyber criminals, compared to 16 per cent who most feared being burgled.

About 18 per cent of those interviewed will not shop online, 21 per cent won't bank online and 17 per cent won't use the internet at all because of fears of cyber crime, yet the internet is still booming.

Half of those surveyed said they use online banking facilities, and ecommerce is growing rapidly, with British shoppers spending £13.5bn online in the first six months of this year.

Though the Get Safe Online study reported good consumer awareness of how to stay secure on the internet, the campaign's managing director Tony Neate insisted there is no room for complacency.

"More people have virus protection, but many fail to update this regularly," he warned. He also pointed out that many people still choose not to use a firewall.

With cyber criminals launching increasingly sophisticated attacks and continually changing tactics to find consumers' weak spots, he said the need to educate consumers is a crucial mission.

Worryingly however, only around a quarter (24 per cent) of consumers believe they are primarily responsible for ensuring their safety online. This didn't therefore make a comment from Sharon Lemon,deputy director of e-crime for the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), that surprising.

She said Russian and Eastern European's cyber criminals see us as "excellent victims because we are rich and very sloppy".

Nearly three quarters (72 per cent) of those questioned for this year's report said they need more information to arm themselves against online threats and 40 per cent are still unsure where to seek advice.

The Government hopes to partially address the findings this week when the Get Safe Online Roadshow takes a team of experts to cities throughout the UK.

Its aim is to offer free advice about online safety and to provide training sessions at UK Online and Age Concern centres.

Get Safe Online will also reach people through the web with the launch of an internet safety blog and a campaign on social networking site, Bebo .

It was suggested that Get Safe Online address the question of where people can seek advice and provide the necessary links.

Lemon also agreed that consumers are confused about where to get help, especially when dealing with local police forces. She said that SOCA is in discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers about the possibility of setting up a national coordination centre where consumers could go to report cyber-crime.

Junior MP Patrick McFadden said that fear of online crime must be addressed to avoid UK citizens losing out on the economic and social benefits the internet provides.

"Provided consumers take sensible precautions to protect themselves, there is no reason why  most people should not be able to enjoy the internet safely.

"Campaigns such as Get Safe Online provide the public with the support and help necessary to ensure they can use the internet safely and confidently in a society and economy that increasingly rely on the internet to live and work," he said.