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Internet Crime Complaints Hit Record High
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July 15, 2009
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Summary Have you or has someone you know been a victim of online crime? If so, you are part of a disturbing trend. Perhaps driven by the economic recession, Internet crime complaints soared to record levels in 2008. Learn how you can protect yourself from online crime.
Internet Crime Complaints On The Rise
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, received 275,284 Internet crime complaints in 2008, a 33.1% increase over 2007. The financial loss reported in those complaints totaled $265 million, or $931 per individual. And keep in mind, these figures represent only those crimes reported to the IC3. Unreported crimes may total many millions more.
From Online Fraud to Computer Intrusions
More than half of the complaints involved fraudulent online transactions, perpetrated via email (74%) and webpages (28.9%) –
- People buying and selling merchandise on the Web were hardest hit. Non-delivery of either merchandise or payment accounted for 32.9% of the reported total.
- Another 25.5% reported online auction fraud.
- Credit and debit card fraud represented 9%.
- Fraud in the form of confidence scams, check fraud, and the “Nigerian” email letter fraud were fewer in number, but greater in individual dollar loss (ranging from $1,650-$3,000).
Other non-fraudulent complaints included computer intrusions, spam/unsolicited email, and child pornography. These crimes, though serious, were far outnumbered by fraud crimes.
Protect Yourself. Be Aware.
There are two ways to protect yourself online. One is technology. The other is awareness. Good Internet security software, such as Norton™ Internet Security or Norton 360™ will protect against spam, spyware, and phishing websites. To protect yourself against Internet fraud – awareness, caution, and common sense are just as important, if not more so. Here are a few tips to help you avoid the most common types of fraud:
- No legitimate bank or e-tailer will ask you for your credit/debit card number, bank account number, social security number, or to reset your password in an email. If you receive an email that does, do not respond.
- If you participate in online auctions, either as a buyer or seller, use a payment service, such as PayPal to secure your transaction. Buyers should not send checks or use a debit card and sellers shouldn’t require or accept them.
- When shopping online, make sure that your transactions are secure before entering any personal or financial information.
- All emails or letters from Nigeria purporting to be from deposed princes or presidents or their relatives are fake. Do not send a check or provide your bank account number.
Read The Report. Or Report A Crime.
The IC3 2008 Internet Crime Report is available online at www.ic3.gov, which is also the first place to report Internet crimes. If you have been a victim of an Internet crime, report it to IC3 and they will refer it to the appropriate state and local authorities for investigation.
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