Reports of Internet-based crime jumped 33% in 2008, according to a group that monitors Web-based fraud.The Internet Crime Complaint Center said in its annual report released Monday that it received more than 275,000 complaints last year, up from about 207,000 the year before. The total reported dollar loss from such scams was $265 million, or about $25 million more than the year before.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123843998882670641.htmlFBI: Internet fraud complaints up 33 percent in 2008 [IDG]
2008 was the busiest year yet for online fraudsters according to an annual Internet Crime Report released Monday by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) logged more than 275,000 complaints last year — a jump of 33 percent from the year before — accounting for about US$265 million dollars worth of losses, according to the center’s 2008 Internet Crime Report.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/297432/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/033009-fbi-internet-fraud-complaints-up.html
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/162234/.html
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/297432/Online crime surging in recession, U.S. report says
Fraud on the Internet reported to U.S. authorities increased by 33 percent last year, rising for the first time in three years, and is surging this year as the recession deepens, federal authorities said on Monday.Internet fraud losses reported in the United States reached a record high $264.6 million in 2008, according to a report released on Monday from the Internet Fraud Complaint Center, run by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-38788720090330Cyber-crime rising, report warns
Complaints of internet fraud received by a US watchdog last year rose by 33% from 2007, its latest report shows.The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which includes the FBI, received 275,284 complaints in 2008, which amounted to losses of $265m (£185m).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7973886.stmComplaints of Internet-based crimes up 33 percent
Complaints of Internet-related crimes soared 33 percent last year, countering two years of consecutive declines, according to a report released Monday by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10208355-93.htmlWeb Crime Complaints Rise In 2008
A total of 275,284 complaints were received by the Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2008 — up from 206,884 or 33 percent over 2007, the FBI said Monday. Total dollar loss reported in 2008 was $265 million, an increase from $239 million the year before. The average individual loss was $931, according to a new report. The yearly study from IC3, a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, details information related to the volume and scope of complaints, complainant and perpetrator characteristics, geographical data, most frequently reported scams, and IC3 referrals.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/03/web-crime-complaints-rise-in-2.phpInternet Crime: Complaints and Losses on the Rise [news release]
Reports of Internet scams and their financial toll continued to grow in 2008, according to the latest data by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which operates a website, www.ic3.gov, to collect and refer public complaints about Internet fraud.In 2008, more than $264 million was lost in 275,284 complaints — an average of $931 for every complaint — according to the 2008 Internet Crime Report, released March 30. Almost one-third of the complaints were for non-delivery of merchandise purchased online; auction fraud accounted for one in four complaints.In one case cited in the 2008 figures, a Virginia woman — Rachel Trent, who was the subject of multiple complaints in three states — advertised rare baseball and football cards on the eBay auction site. Once a buyer paid, the woman sent a worthless card or sometimes nothing at all. She was arrested by a cyber task force and is serving fours years in prison.The Internet Crime Complaint Center is a partnership between the FBI and the nonprofit National White Collar Crime Center. IC3 collects the data, analyzes it, and then refers complaints to law enforcement agencies to follow up. The report, issued annually since 2003, offers a snapshot of the most frequent Internet crimes, where they are occurring, and who is being victimized.In the U.S. last year, California, New York, Florida, Texas, and the District of Columbia were home to half the perpetrators identified in complaints. Worldwide, perpetrators were most commonly from the U.S. (66.1%), followed by the United Kingdom (10.5%), Nigeria (7.5%), and Canada (3.1%).Here’s a look at the scams prompting the most complaints (by percentage), along with the average amount of money lost per complaint:
- Non-delivery of merchandise/payment: $800 (32.9%)
- Auction fraud: $610 (25.5%)
- Credit/debit card fraud: $223 (9%)
- Confidence fraud: $2,000 (7.9%)
- Computer fraud: $1,000 (6.2%)
- Check fraud: $3,000 (5.4%)
- Nigerian letter fraud: $1,650 (2.8%)
The data is posted in full at the National White Collar Crime Center website (pdf).Year Complaints Loss
- 2008 275,284 $265 million
- 2007 206,884 $239 million
- 2006 207,492 $198 million
- 2005 231,493 $183 million
- 2004 207,449 $68 million
“This report illustrates that sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue to flourish as financial data migrates to the Internet,” FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Shawn Henry said in a statement.The 2008 figures represent a 33% increase in complaints and a $25 million increase in losses over 2007. E-mail and webpages were the two primary mechanisms scammers used to commit their crimes, underscoring the need to be vigilant and cautious online, particularly in transactions. The Internet Crime Report offers prevention tips to avoid online traps. You can also visit our Be Crime Smart page to learn about frauds, scams, and how to file tips and complaints.This FBI news release was sourced from:
www.fbi.gov/page2/march09/internet_033009.html
Leave a Reply