Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Reports U.S. Cybercrime Complaints Declined 10 Percent in 2010
It has been reported, in the latest Internet Complaint Center's Annual Report on Internet Crime, that cybercrime complaints have fallen 10% during the year 2010 when compared to previous years. These complaints include instances where computer users were duped by cybercrooks who posed as sellers of products over the Internet.
It is never an easy job to predict the level of cybercriminal activity that is expected in the future. We strive to communicate the latest findings which may help computer users protect themselves accordingly. In one of our recent posts, we reported that U.S. cybercrime losses doubled in 2008 to 2009 according to an Internet Crime Complaint Center Report. Today, we are happy to report, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), that the number of cybercrime complaints has fallen about 10% during 2010.
What Does this 'Good News' Mean to You and Me?
It could mean a few things, which both could have negative and positive repercussions. The IC3 is run by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and the National White Collar Crime Center. In their annual report, released this month for the year 2010, they outlined the number of complaints sent in from people that were scammed by cyber thugs posing as buyers and sellers of products over the Internet. A large number of these complaints were cases where cybercrooks scammed primarily eBay, AutoTrader.com and even Craigslist users. Several of these cases go unsolved while the ones that were never reported to the IC3 are lost in translation resulting in unaccounted for Internet crimes. It is the Internet crimes that go unreported that could negate the IC3's decline in cybercrime complaints, which could be bad news. Could it be that the Internet is become a safer place because consumers are getting wiser, or are there more cybercrime victims failing to report their complaint to the IC3?
Internet crime is literally a multimillion dollar business for cyber thugs. Not only are online banking users' accounts getting pilfered by cybercrooks, but criminals are using more creative scams to trick computer users who purchase items online. The top complaints reported by the IC3 in 2009 were emails laced with malware which totaled 17% of all complaints. In 2010, malicious emails only accounted for 13.2% of IC3's complaints. The second most reported Internet crime to the IC3, accounting for 14.4% in 2009 and 11.9% in 2010, was complaints for victims swindled by criminals posing as sellers and buyers.
We suspect that online consumers, or computer users who shop over the Internet, are becoming more educated and aware of recent scams. This could be a direct result in the IC3 reporting a 10% decline in the cybercrime complaints for 2010. Some experts believe that complaints are down because companies and organizations are becoming proactive when it comes to dealing with cybercrime and fraud. Either way, the numbers do not lie. We can all do our part in making the Internet a better place not only for online shoppers but everyone who uses the Internet.
Have you ever had the need to report cybercriminal activity to the IC3? To report cybercrime activity, computer users may contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center at the web address: http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx.