More than three hundred cybercrimes are committed every hour in the UK according to a report published today.
The study from online identity experts Garlik in collaboration with leading criminologists estimates that more than three million[1] online crimes were carried out last year. Of these, 60 per cent[2] were ?offences against the person? including abusive or threatening emails, false or offensive accusations posted on websites and blackmail perpetrated over the internet.
The ?UK Cybercrime? report (available at www.garlik.com) is the first to chart the extent and types of cybercrime experienced by Britons in 2006 and reveals that some cybercrimes are just as prevalent as traditional crimes.
More than two hundred thousand cases of online financial fraud were committed last year where criminals impersonated their victims to obtain money, credit or even to gain more lucrative employment. This is double the hundred thousand real-world robberies[3] which took place during the same period.
Online identity theft reached more than 90 thousand incidents, unauthorised access to someone?s PC with ulterior intent reached 144,500 and online sexual offences 850,000.
Driving this wave of cyber crime according to the Garlik report is the relative anonymity or ?safe? distance the internet offers, with criminals wrongly believing that ethical codes relating to personal property and privacy in the physical world do not apply online.
The UK Cybercrime report estimates that 90 per cent of cybercrimes go unreported with victims deterred from coming forward as they wrongly believe the activity is not criminal or that the police will be unable or unwilling to investigate.
In addition, the lack of a clear, legal definition for cybercrime and therefore the absence of consistent reporting systems are cited as key factors hindering the investigation of e-crime in the UK.
Commenting on the report findings Tom Ilube, CEO, Garlik said; ?Our study is the first step in measuring the impact of cybercrime in Britain. It demonstrates how real and widespread a problem it is, covering illegal activities from computer hacking, stalking or bullying via the internet, financial scams and identity theft.
?With information about individuals circulating the internet reaching high levels it?s ever more important for people to be vigilant about handing out their personal data online to ensure that criminals don?t use and abuse it.?
Stefan Fafinski, CEO of criminology firm 1871 Ltd, authors of the report, said: ?Although measuring cybercrime is difficult, it is clear that in many instances it is outstripping ?traditional? crime. This is a result of the unparalleled opportunities that the Internet gives both for making familiar crimes easier and for enabling ?pure? cybercrimes that could not exist without the Internet.?
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