Aussies lead world in online banking

Online customers will consider switching banks if a competitor offers stricter protection against identity theft, according to a new survey.

More than 50 percent of respondents to the Unisys survey said banks should regularly upgrade their security software.

More than 45 percent of Australian account holders bank online; however, only one in five Aussies will pay for secured banking portals.

The research polled more than 8000 men and women in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, the UK and the US.

Rob Dewar, managing partner of Unisys financial services, said the research shows Australians share one thing in common with other countries polled in the survey: if affected by ID fraud they will move accounts.

"Australians can also do more themselves, though ... the research shows we are less likely to change our PINS regularly and less likely to shred our personal documents," Dewar said.

"Australian banks have to continue to tread that fine business line of educating their customers about secure banking practices, managing the risk, and investing in new systems that increase security.

"Banks and other financial institutions must ensure that their risks are clearly visible, that they are secure in the knowledge that they can manage risk events, and that they can clearly demonstrate these assurances to their customers."

The survey found Australia led the world in terms of adoption of online banking, followed by the US and France.

Australia also reported much lower instances of identity fraud than most countries polled. In the US, 17 percent of respondents said they had been victims of identity fraud, 11 percent in the UK, 9 percent in Brazil, while only 7 percent were affected in Australia.

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