A third of people in the UK share sensitive documents unprotected online, according to new research. The research, conducted by identity verification platform IDnow, also suggests that scammers are now using AI<\/a> to bypass identity checks online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n IDnow says that those between the ages of 18 and 24 are most at risk, while nearly half (48%) of young people report risking identity theft by sharing personal documents across less secure channels like messaging apps, email, and social media. The over 50s, by contrast, seem to be more weary about what data they share online, with only 21% reporting to have shared their ID through risky channels.<\/span><\/p>\n More concerningly, 45% of those surveyed say that they were aware that sending scans and images of ID documents over these channels were a security risk. Yet, despite knowing that transferring information in that way posed a cybersecurity risk, a third (33%) of Brits transferred their data in that fashion anyway.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n But the data also shows that Brits weren\u2019t too well-equipped about other cybersecurity issues and recent technological advancements. A third of survey respondents, for instance, were unaware of what deepfakes<\/a> were and the security\/misinformation risk that they pose.<\/p>\n In a statement<\/a> to ThisisMoney, IDnow co-founder and chief technology and security officer Armin Bauer said that \u201cdeepfakes are used to break into systems that require you to identify yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFraudsters typically try to generate a completely new person that doesn\u2019t actually exist, or they use a stolen ID card and generate [a deepfake] of the person that it belongs to.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, IDnow document and fraud director Lovro Persen added: \u201cWorryingly, this research suggests that the UK public is not as concerned, or aware as they should be of the risks associated with such digitally-generated images or videos.The extraordinary leaps in AI technology mean it\u2019s now almost too easy for a fraudster to carry out financial crimes. Consumers shouldn\u2019t make it even easier for fraudsters though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur advice is always to think twice before sending a scan or photo of your driving licence or passport into the digital ether via unencrypted channels, such as social media or email.\u201d<\/p>\n Featured Image: Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nA worrying trend<\/h2>\n
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