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Wi-Fi poses "piggybacking" fraud risk

One sixth of wireless internet users could be leaving themselves open to fraud by not protecting their connection.

A lack of password protection on Wi-Fi connections means users could be subjected to "piggybacking" where another user accesses the internet connection, possibly gaining access to the other user's personal details, bank details or illegal content online under their name.

Research by moneysupermarket.com found that half of piggybackers only checked emails or browsed the net, but 12 per cent admit using someone else's wireless connection every day, downloading films and music regularly.

James Parker, a spokesman for the company, said: People are learning to be safe online, but those using wireless can undo all that by leaving their network unprotected.

"An unsecured internet connection is just the same as leaving your front door open."

According to the Birmingham Post, IP infringement is the second-most prevalent economic crime on the internet, as reported by consumer and retail industry experts.

According to a recent survey by Connect, the two biggest IT headaches for businesses were 'everyday hassles with IT' (37 per cent) and 'security concerns' (32 per cent) In a recent survey of SMEs for Connect, the two most important benefits of outsourcing were 'guaranteed response times' and 'allowing in-house IT staff to concentrate on more strategic issues'