A survey conducted by consumer credit reporting agency TransUnion highlights the continued potential danger of becoming a potential target for online fraudsters.
The group’s Consumer Pulse study for the fourth quarter of 2021 showed that 45% of respondents were targets of a fraudulent digital scheme over the last three months of the year, with as many as 8% falling victim to online fraud.
The online survey of 1,050 adults in South Africa was conducted between 8–17 February. It found that 80% of consumers said they’re making changes to their purchasing behaviour because of rising inflation.
Although 88% of consumers considered access to credit and lending products important to achieve their financial goals, only 32% believed they currently have sufficient access to them. Despite the lack of adequate access, 67% of consumers indicated they had no plans to apply for new or refinance existing credit.
For consumers who considered applying for new or refinancing existing credit, 42% stated they ultimately decided against it; fear of being declined due to income and employment status (31%), and the cost of new credit or refinancing being too high (30%) were the top two cited reasons.
Fraudsters can get your credit card information in a number of ways. With so many of us shopping for products and services online, fraudsters have channeled their efforts there as well. Hackers may be able to get your information from a data breach at a company you do business with.
Phishing…
