Cybercrime wave hits Britain
Cybercrime is soaring with 300
online crimes being committed every hour, according to a report.
The first study of its kind -
the UK Cybercrime report - estimates there were three million offences last
year.
"Although measuring
cybercrime is difficult, it is clear that in many instances it is outstripping
'traditional' crime" - Stefan Fafinski
In nearly two-thirds of cases
the intended target was an individual as opposed to a company with abusive
emails and online identity theft among the crimes being identified.
More than 200,000 cases of
financial fraud were recorded in 2006, with criminals impersonating the victim
to obtain money, credit or a better job.
Cases of online harassment
during 2006 numbered almost two million, the report claims.
The study, compiled by online
criminology firm 1871 Ltd, reports that the relative anonymity and
"safe" distance that the internet allows is driving a wave of
cybercrime.
But many offences are going
unreported. It is claimed that 90 per cent of online harassment is carried out
without a formal complaint being made.
Unwanted sexual approaches
over the internet accounted for 850,000 of last year's cybercrime, according to
the report.
In the same period 238
offences of meeting a child following sexual grooming through an online
chatroom were recorded.
The report is based on data
from official sources and quantitative and qualitative research using a sample
of 200 cyber criminals.
Stefan Fafinski, author 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
unparalleled opportunities that the internet gives both for making familiar
crimes easier and enabling 'pure' cybercrimes that could not exist without the
internet."
He added: "If it remains
unchecked it will continue to increase."
Source: © Independent
Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
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