According to a recent report released by AtlasVPN.com, Americans are so scared of being a victim of identity theft that they even find murder less terrifying.
The record-high data breaches in the U.S. explain why so many people are so afraid of getting their identity stolen.
2020 will be the year of privacy
In 2019, cybercriminals exposed 7.9 billion private records, which means that every two seconds, someone becomes a victim of identity theft. Additionally, the number of compromised data cases increased by 33 percent compared to 2018.
Cybersecurity experts suggest that 2019 was the year of data, and they predict 2020 will be the year of privacy. On the mtter, Rachel Welch, Chief Operating Officer of Atlas VPN expressed:
“In 2020, we can expect a tense atmosphere in the cybersecurity industry. Hackers are finding new ways to overcome the current security measures. Every company has to be on its toes and expect a serious attack sooner or later. I believe the number of credit card-related identity theft cases will continue to grow. Nowadays, almost anyone who knows how to access the Dark Web can order equipment required to forge a fake credit card. In general, the damage related to cybercrime will hit $6 trillion by the end of this year.”
According to the report, one of three people frequently worry about identity theft. The Atlas VPN survey shows that 32 percent of American respondents think about identity theft occasionally, while 18 percent are rarely concerned. Only 15 percent of respondents never think about this crime. In comparison to getting murdered, 47 percent find identity theft a bigger issue.
The number of identity theft cases also depends on the time of the year. Typically, hackers invade systems to get financial profit. As the tax-return season is now beginning, the number of identity theft cases may increase rapidly.
