Concerns about e-mail fraud are impacting how consumers are behaving online, including shopping, says a new report from Forrester Research. "Online consumers might not be aware of terms like phishing and spoofing, but that doesn't mean that they are not concerned," says Catherine Graber, Forrester research analyst. In a recent survey of more than 5,000 consumers, Forrester found that only 27% of people surveyed were familiar with phishing and spoofing with women significantly less aware than men.
But 74% also said they were concerned about e-mail fraud, with people aged 40-57 voicing the most concern (79%) and consumers age 18-28 the least (62%). With the rising awareness of both e-mail fraud and identity theft, consumers are being more cautious regarding electronic messages from companies.
In fact, says Forrester, 26% of those surveyed will not apply for a financial product online, which can include using an auto dealer's site to apply for credit or signing up for a new credit card on a banking or retailing web site. To make consumers and online shoppers feel more comfortable, Forrester says companies should make customer education about ways to prevent e-mail fraud and identify theft a bigger priority and extend their online security guarantee to include explicit coverage for unauthorized transactions due to e-mail fraud.
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