Brits' security worries have reached a four year peak, with card fraud and identity theft the biggest concerns, ahead of terrorism, according to a survey from Unisys.
In the latest Unisys Security Index, which saw 953 people from the UK quizzed, 93% of respondents say they are worried about bank card fraud. This fear appears fairly well justified considering that there were over 102,500 cases of bank card fraud identified in 2010, according to Cifas, with many more instances not reported.
The next biggest concern is ID theft, cited by 91%, compared to 85% for terrorism. Nearly two thirds believe that large gatherings at events such as the Royal Wedding and the Olympics, are targets for malicious attack with 74% worried about airports and planes.
Overall, the index shows Brits have become considerably more concerned about their security over the last six months, with their score rising 42 points to 154 on a scale of zero to 300.
Other findings reveal that nearly three quarters of UK citizens believe that online whistle-blowing sites like WikiLeaks should not be allowed to exist. Nearly half of respondents believe posting secret information online exercises our freedom of speech, but 61% thinks publishing it should be considered an act of treason.
Neil Fisher, VP, global security services, Unisys, says: "These are alarming findings. But when you think about the government austerity measures, the security implications of hosting the Olympics in 2012, threats to aviation security - even the recent hoax bomb which made its way from the UK to Turkey undetected - the public would be justified in feeling insecure."