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Staples research reveals a third of Brits (33%) are guilty of leaving their bankcards or statements open on a shared network at work, lying on the desk or loose in the bin without being destroyed or shredded.

In comparison, the poll of 1,000 people revealed that only 1 in 10 would ever leave their Facebook page open on a shared network, or display details such as address or date of birth on their page.

And when it comes to passwords, a fifth (18%) of people said they never cover the PIN pad when withdrawing money and a tenth (9%) regularly share their PINs with friends and colleagues so they can withdraw cash or buy items on their behalf. However, just 1 in 20 would ever give away their Facebook password or the code to their mobile phone.

Weekday lunchtimes are a key time for British workers to let their guard down, with 13% admitting to freely giving out their bankcards and PINs to colleagues in order to grab a sandwich.

Amee Chande, MD of Staples, said: “While it’s nice to feel comfortable with one’s colleagues, sharing bankcards and PIN numbers with others can lead to problems. Not only does that potentially expose someone to identity fraud, but also runs the risk of not being covered by your bank insurance if a card or money does go missing.

“In support of National Identity Fraud Week during the week of 15 – 22 October it’s important to remember the importance of taking care to protect personal information."

Only a third (36%) of Brits admitted to keeping personal details such as PINs and passwords private, with the average person sharing information with at least one other, but 1 in 10 (13%) sharing with three or more individuals.

And Brits are facing the same security issues online, with only a third using different passwords for their online accounts, and more than 7 in 10 only changing their passwords every 12 months or more. In fact, 1 in 5 said they never change their passwords at all.

Chande continued: “While the majority of us are aware of the danger of online fraud, it appears that that people often don’t take steps day-to-day to help prevent it. Utilising services such as Staples’ free internet security offer when buying a shredder worth more than £50 can help, as can steps like checking a website’s internet security badge before buying goods.”

When it comes to worrying about lost or stolen items, mobiles such as iPhones came top of the agenda with 19% admitting they would be most concerned about these more than any other. Passports and bank cards were valued highest by 16% of respondents, while a birth certificate or driving licence came bottom of the list – 4% and 2% respectively.