TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While Americans are concerned about identity theft and the security of their personal information throughout the year, a new survey from LifeLock, a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection, conducted online on their behalf by Harris Interactive among more than 2,000 online US adults aged 18 and older, examined how Americans' opinions and concerns change during the holiday season. The survey found that 48 percent of Americans who ever shop online during the holiday season are extremely or very concerned about the security of their personal information when shopping during the holiday season. This high level of concern varies based on age, marital status and the type of retailer frequented.
"Identity thieves don't take time off for the holiday." said Todd Davis, Chairman and CEO, LifeLock. "It is important for consumers to remain vigilant, especially before providing personal information to a site or from a seller they do not know well. Consumers should take active steps to protect their identity from ever-evolving threats of identity theft."
The 2012 LifeLock Holiday Shopping Security Survey found some interesting trends:
- Shoppers increasingly worried during the holiday season – Americans' concerns about the security of their personal information increase when shopping during the holiday season compared to other times. This translates into more than 113 million Americans* concerned when shopping during the holidays and is a call for retailers to clearly communicate privacy protections.
- Where people shop determines their level of concern – Americans are most concerned about the security of their personal information when shopping from online classified sites and from lesser known retailer brands online. They are less concerned when shopping from well-known websites and online auction sites.
- Storefront shopping presents more concerns than online - Surprisingly, Americans are more concerned about the security of their personal information at major retailers when shopping in-person at a store as opposed to more well-known websites online. 23 million Americans* are concerned while shopping at major brands' stores during the holiday.
- Demographics make a difference – Americans' concerns about the security of their personal information when shopping online during the holiday season or during other times increase as they get older, with the strongest concerns from men and women aged 55 and older. Men 18-34 years old are less concerned than older men.
* Calculation based on U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 Census, which estimates there are 237,744,632 million adults aged 18+ residing in the United States.
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of LifeLock from November 12-14, 2012 among 2,071 adults aged 18 and older. When a population number was included, it was extrapolated from the number of Americans aged 18 and older in the most recent U.S. Census data. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Scott Love of Schwartz MSL at lifelock@schwartzmsl.com.
Media Contact:
Scott Love or Bill Donlan
Schwartz MSL
(781) 684-0770
LifeLock Contact:
(480) 457-2032
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research. Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Additionally, Harris has a portfolio of multi-client offerings that complement our custom solutions while maximizing our client's research investment. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
About LifeLock
LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE:LOCK), is a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection services for consumers and identity risk assessment and fraud protection services for enterprises. Since 2005, LifeLock has been relentlessly protecting identities by providing consumers with the tools and confidence they need to help protect themselves from identity theft and manage their credit. In October 2012, Javelin Strategy & Research named LifeLock Ultimate™ a "Best in Class Overall" identity theft protection solution and also named it "Best in Detection". In March 2012, LifeLock further demonstrated its commitment to combating identity fraud with the purchase of ID Analytics, Inc., a leader in enterprise identity risk management that provides visibility into identity risk and credit worthiness. ID Analytics, Inc. currently operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of LifeLock, Inc.
The LifeLock logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9430
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