Most Canadians Avoiding Behaviours Which Could Leave Them Vulnerable to Payment Card Fraud

Toronto, ON - Most Canadians are avoiding behaviour which could leave them vulnerable to falling victim to payment card fraud. In fact, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Visa Canada, six in ten (60%) credit or debit card users say they haven't done any of the risky behaviours studied in the poll. However, small percentages of users admit to doing at least one of the following:

• Allowing their credit card to go out of sight when paying (15%)
• Loaning their credit or debit card to a friend (15%)
• Giving their PIN number to another person (14%)
• Sending their credit card information by email (11%)
• Giving their credit card information over the phone when they weren't the ones who initiated the call (5%)
• Sending their credit card information by text message (1%)

With most avoiding behaviour that might put them at risk, it's not surprising to see that almost all (94%) Canadians believe that using a payment card in person at a store or retail outlet is `safe' (45% very/49% somewhat). However, Canadians aren't quite as confident about card use in card-not-present situations, such as online (63% -- 14% very/49% somewhat), by mail (52% -- 10% very/41% somewhat), over the phone (49% -- 8% very/41% somewhat) or via handheld mobile device (36% -- 4% very/32% somewhat).

Security concerns appear to be the primary issue holding some Canadians back from shopping online. Among those who have not made a purchase online in the past year, 38% say that security concerns are the main reason they have not done so. Others say that not being able to touch/try things on (15%) is what holds them back, while some (14%) say that they simply don't have a payment card that can be used online. Others cite the difficulty with making returns (6%), difficulty arranging delivery of the product (2%) or some other reason (11%) as their main reason for not shopping online in the past year. One in ten (14%) don't know why they haven't shopped online in the last year.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between February 7 and 9, 2011, on behalf of Visa Canada. For this survey, a sample of 1,419 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online as part a regular online omnibus poll. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
SVP & Managing Director, Public Opinion Polling
Ipsos Reid
416.324.2002
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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