24% of people store PIN numbers on mobile

A survey of phone users has found that 80% of people store information on their phones that could easily be used to steal their identities.

The research by Credant Technologies surveyed 600 commuters at London railway stations about their mobile phones, typical usage and the types of sensitive information stored on them. The results were alarming:

* 16% have their bank account details saved on their mobile phones

* 24% their pin numbers and passwords

* 11% keep social security and inland revenue details

* 10% store credit card information

* 40% naively fail to protect their devices with a password

Further investigation reveals the information stored is not restricted to personal details as most users also use their personal devices for business use:

* 99% of people use their phones for some sort ofbusiness use – even though 26% have been instructed by their employer not to do so

* 35% receive and send business emails

* 77% keep business names and addresses

* 30% use them as a business diary

* 17% download corporate information, such as documentsand spreadsheets

* 23% store customers information

When you consider that 4 out of 10 people are not password protecting their devices, it makes many millions of users seriously exposed to the trappings of mobile phone criminals and opportunists who can use this information to clone someone’s personal, or even corporate, life.