Three-quarters of British employees believe their company is failing to do enough to protect them from ID fraud.
More than half think sensitive documents could be stolen from desks, while 72 per cent said dishonest colleagues could leak information to fraudsters.
But individuals are not without blame themselves, 64 per cent of adults do not understand how best to reduce the risk of ID theft, the study found.
The figures were released today to coincide with the beginning of National Identity Fraud Prevention week – a Government-backed initiative to warn of the dangers of identity fraud.
Official statistics show that the crime costs the UK economy more than £1 billion every year. In the UK alone some 4.3 million adults have fallen victim to identity fraudsters. A survey of the attitudes of more than 1,000 British adults found that 95 per cent realise that they are at risk.
But a large section are failing to undertake simple measures to protect themselves. Around 14 per cent surf the web unprotected, without sufficient security software, and a third of respondents said they did not always report the loss of important documents such as passports or driving licences.
Just under two-thirds threw sensitive papers away without shredding them first.
Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Mawer, head of the Metropolitan Police’s economic and specialist crime command, said: “The issue of identity theft is not something that will go away. With increasing developments in technology and constant increase in computer usage it is crucial that we continue to raise public awareness.
“By taking simple measures the public can protect their identities and ultimately avoid becoming a victim.’’
British firms should also be upping their game when it comes to the fight against ID fraud, the latest figures suggest.
The vast majority, 97 per cent, of consumers are not completely confident that the organisations they deal with take adequate steps to protect information.
Mike Cherry, home affairs chairman at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Businesses should be aware of the myriad of different ways in which their corporate identity can be used and abused, from theft of internet domain names to phishing or spam emails that pose as a legitimate business and damage their reputation.
“Dealing with the aftermath of an event can be a costly headache. We urge businesses to think foremost about prevention, and training for staff that handle sensitive business information and that of their customers and clients.”
Meanwhile, separate research by insurer Royal Sun Alliance, also highlights concern over identity theft. It found that almost half of people surveyed said banks and retailers were not doing enough to protect personal data.
Moreover 90 per cent of respondents believe that important personal information held by such firms is not completely secure. Around 50 per cent of people asked said they were more concerned now about identity fraud than they were six months ago.
But researchers estimate that more than 860,000 people in the UK have left work documents or devices such as a laptop or Blackberry in a public place or on communal transport.
