Are your bank details safe?

Computers are a popular purchase at Christmas, but when you say ‘out with the old, in with the new’, remember to take care of security. According to research from Sainsbury’s Bank, as many as 32 per cent of the computers that have been discarded over the Christmas period to make way for new ones still have the previous owners’ data on them. That’s right, their hard drives have not been destroyed or even wiped clean. This could be dangerous if the computers fall into the wrong hands as people could use the details stored on the hard drives to steal the owner’s identity. This is supported by research from Glamorgan University that showed that 118 of 200 computers discarded still had their owners’ information on them and were still working.

Identity theft is a crime that is receiving increasing attention, with criminals using information from discarded credit and debit card receipts and even stealing post in order to use fake identities to get money. This has long term consequences for the person whose identity is stolen as this person often has to go through long drawn out processes to prove that he or she is not liable for a particular debt. Many people who have experienced this crime say their lives have been ruined and Sainsbury’s research has shown that this crime cost the victims interviewed an average of £3,039 each.  And with more of us undertaking financial transactions online, the potential to have our identity stolen is tremendous.

Deleting files alone is not the answer as hackers can still find your data. Instead you need to use hard drive wiping software to overwrite the data and shred bank and credit card statements.

Donald MacLeod, credit card manager, Sainsbury’s Bank said: ‘Over the years, you can end up storing a great deal of personal information on your computer so it makes sense to wipe clean or destroy the drive before you throw it away. Identity theft is a very serious problem and it is important we all take preventative measures to avoid becoming a victim.’