ID Analytics/Ipsos Survey Finds Americans Value Reduced Identity Theft Risk Over a Reduced Waistline

SAN DIEGO, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- When asked to choose, almost 60 percent of American adults would rather reduce their risk of identity theft by 20 percent than lose 20 pounds according to survey released today from Ipsos Public Affairs and ID Analytics. Even with the battle of the bulge grabbing headlines, an estimated 120 million American adults would rather reduce their risk of identity theft than lose weight. Additionally, the study found that Americans were more concerned about their Social Security number (SSN) being stolen than their purse, wallet or laptop which could contain a greater amount of personal information.

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"People say, 'you can't be too rich or too thin,' but when Americans chose safety, they did so overwhelmingly," said Larry McIntosh, chief marketing officer for ID Analytics, the leader in on-demand identity intelligence. "The survey underscores how seriously Americans take identity theft and the use of their personal information."

Other key survey findings include:

• What Americans value most - When given three choices in the survey, three in five Americans identified their SSN as the personal item they would be most concerned about being stolen if someone were to break into their home.
• Laptops are precious - Technology has a strong hold on some peoples' hearts. Almost 20 million Americans (nine percent of adults surveyed) chose their laptops more than their purse/wallet or SSN when asked about items of most concern if a robbery were to occur.
• Seniors make health conscious choices - The only exception to the safety versus weight trend are seniors (adults aged 55+), who are almost as likely to select losing 20 pounds as they are to select reducing their risk of identity theft by 20 percent. This proportion represents nearly 30 million seniors who would choose reducing the risk of identity theft over losing weight.
• Gender differences in security concerns - Women are more likely than men to be most concerned about their SSN being stolen (63 percent vs. 54 percent) over the other provided options.

ID Analytics owns and maintains the ID Network(R) - the nation's only real-time, cross-industry compilation of identity information. The ID Network contains billions of basic identity elements and is used by many of the nation's leading communications, financial services, retail companies, healthcare providers and government agencies to help detect potential fraud.

The telephone survey, conducted in April 2009 by Ipsos and ID Analytics, used a nationally representative sample of 1,000 randomly selected Americans ages 18 and older. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals that helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world. Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends to develop and test emergent or existing products or services, and build brands. They also test advertising and study audience responses to various media, and measure public opinion around the globe.

They help clients create long-term relationships with their customers, stakeholders or other constituencies. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting and offers a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2008, Ipsos generated global revenues of euro 979.3 million ($1.34 billion U.S.). Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.

About ID Analytics, Inc.

ID Analytics, the leader in on-demand identity intelligence, protects both organizations and consumers providing unprecedented real-time visibility into the risk of individuals. ID Analytics pioneered identity-scoring technology. ID Analytics combines three unique capabilities to assess risk and improve the customer experience across all consumer touch points: the ID Network(R) - the nation's only real-time, cross-industry compilation of identity information; Personal Topology(TM) - an individual's particular identity characteristics and their connectedness to each other; and ID Analytics' proprietary Advanced Analytics(SM). Leading communications, financial services, retailing, and healthcare companies, as well as multiple government agencies, trust ID Analytics to provide solutions that drive new revenue opportunities, reduce financial losses, and facilitate compliance with federal regulations. ID Analytics is based in San Diego, CA.

ID Analytics is a registered trademark of ID Analytics, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

SOURCE ID Analytics, Inc.

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