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New McAfee Survey Reveals More Than Half of Online Holiday Shoppers Would Risk Purchasing from a Potentially Fake Website for SavingsToday McAfee (News - Alert), the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company, announced findings from its latest survey, Holiday Stresses, revealing the risky habits of online shoppers, including using unsecured Wi-Fi for online shopping and purchasing items from online retailers they are not fully confident are genuine (51 percent). The majority of respondents (79 percent) agree that the holiday shopping season induces increased financial stress, while 53 percent admit that this pressure can cause them to be careless while shopping online. This highlights the need for consumers to slow down and consider the risks of unsafe purchasing behavior that could lead to identity theft or financial loss. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181112005100/en/ Holiday Financial Stress and its Impact on Cybersecurity (Graphic: Business Wire) Last year consumers spent $453.46 billion on the web for retail purchases, which was a 16 percent increase over 2016. Unfortunately, when it comes to online shopping, consumers are more concerned about finding the lowest price than potentially jeopardizing their personal cybersecurity in the process. The survey found that 56 percent of consumers are willing to use a website they are unfamiliar with, if this means they can save money on their purchases. Even worse, 31 percent admit to clicking links in suspicious emails for better deals. "For most people, the holiday shopping season is a stressful time of year, especially from a financial perspective. With added stresses and distractions, people often let their guard down when it comes to their digital security, which can lead to risky consequences," said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee. "Cybercriminals know that people are less focused on security measures during this time and use that to their advantage. By taking the proper steps to protect themselves and being wary of deals and offers that appear to be too good to be true, consumers can enjoy a safe holiday season. The United States of Online Shopping The McAfee survey also examined cross country behaviors, identifying the states that exhibit the safest online behavior. Residents in Washington are most likely to stay cyber-safe during the holidays, with nearly 80 percent of respondents claiming they are very unlikely to click on a link in an unfamiliar email. Conversely, New York residents are the most likely to fall victim to a cybercriminal, with 80 percent claiming that they are more careless when shopping online due to the financial stress of the season. Shoppers in Delaware reported that they do not monitor their bank and credit card statements during the holidays, while 70 percent of survey participants in Illinois noted that they are willing to risk their email addresses, phone numbers, home addresses and bank account details for an online deal. The states where residents are most likely to fall victim to a cybercriminal are: 1. New York 2. Illinois 3. New Mexico 4. Kansas 5. California The states where residents are least likely to fall victim to a cybercriminal are: 1. Washington 2. South Dakota 3. Minnesota 4. Nevada 5. Hawaii Tips for Consumers to Stay Safe While Shopping Online:
Survey Methodology: McAfee commissioned MSI (News - Alert)-ACI to conduct a survey of 2,472 adults in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 55 in October 2018. About McAfee McAfee is the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company. Inspired by the power of working together, McAfee creates business and consumer solutions that make our world a safer place. www.mcafee.com. McAfee technologies' features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software, or service activation. No computer system can be absolutely secure. McAfee® and the McAfee logo are trademarks of McAfee, LLC or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181112005100/en/ |