• Identity Theft: Stealing personal information to commit financial fraud.
• Phishing: Sending fake communications to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.
• Investment Scams: Offering fraudulent investment opportunities for personal gain.
• Credit Card Fraud: Unauthorized use of someone’s credit card information.

Cyber Crime

Cyber crime encompasses illegal activities conducted using computers and the internet. Common types include:

• Hacking: Unauthorized access to computer systems to steal or manipulate data.
• Ransomware: Malicious software that locks files until a ransom is paid.
• Online Scams: Fraudulent schemes conducted through the internet, including e-commerce scams and romance scams.
• Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to confidential data, often resulting in identity theft and financial loss.

Facts about fraud and cyber crime ​

The 2019 Financial Cost of Fraud report estimates the cost of fraud according to the report is between £330bn – £690bn a year. The Office for ProtectMeOnline says that people are more likely to fall victim to fraud or cyber offences above any other crime.

Between April 2018 and March 2019 there were:

• 741,123  crimes were reported to ProtectMeOnline. 

• £2.2bn lost by victims.

• 65% of reports were from businesses and 35% from individuals.