Hacking: America’s Most-Feared Crime
- Posted by stratchi
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According to a new poll, the number one crime that Americans fear is having their credit card information stolen by hackers.
Apparently all of the recent security breaches from big retail stores such as Target, Home Depot, Michaels and Neiman Marcus have affected people. According to a recently published survey from Gallup, 69 percent of U.S. residents worry either “frequently” or “occasionally” about hackers stealing their credit card information.
The second most-feared crime in America is having a computer or phone hacked to steal personal information, with 62 percent saying they worried at least “occasionally” about it. Following behind both of the hacking crimes, the next most-feared crimes include having your home burglarized when you’re not there, having your car stolen or broken into, getting mugged, and having a school-aged child physically harmed attending school.
While it may sound crazy that a person would be more afraid of getting hacked than getting their home broken into, it makes sense when you think about how many more people are affected by hacking than burglaries. Gallup’s poll showed that 27 percent of Americans have been the victim, or a member of their household has been the victim, of getting their credit card information stolen.
If you’re worried you have been hacked, make sure to check your credit card statement on a regular basis to look for fraudulent charges. And to avoid phishing, be sure to never download any attachments or click on links from unknown senders in emails.