The card's not present but the crime sure is: Exploring the prevention of plastic card fraud victimization using the British crime survey

Using the situational crime prevention (SCP) approach, this dissertation examines British Crime Survey data on plastic (credit) card users in Britain and Wales to address the relationship between computer security and "card not present" plastic card fraud victimization, with a focus on understanding (a) how victimization may be facilitated through Internet users' online behaviors and their usage (or lack thereof) of computer security techniques, (b) what steps, if any, victims take to prevent crime from occurring again, (c) the amount of control individuals have in protecting their personal information, and (d) how technology education and awareness efforts can be focused to prevent victimization. Findings demonstrate that individuals can control their own level of computer, network, and security usage, but they cannot ultimately protect against victimization stemming from weak guardianship measures used by outside sources. Although SCP techniques are more often implemented at the organizational level, plastic card fraud prevention requires cooperation and collaboration between individuals, private sector corporations, and public sector government entities. The most effective prevention measures must guard against both external and internal threats, through a combination of physical security, computer (cyber) security, and "human (people-based) security" techniques. While it is impossible to eliminate the risk of PCF victimization, society -- working together across the three levels of responsibility -- can attempt to manage it.