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A survey of more than 10,000 Australians online found nearly half have been victims of cybercrimes, including scammers hacking data and stealing money.
A report from the Australian Institute of Criminology found identity theft accounted for more than one-in-five victims (22 per cent), while fraudsters and scammers duped almost one-in-10 (9.5 per cent).
Some of the respondents either paid money or provided sensitive information to a scammer offering them either the false promise of an inheritance, share in a large sum of money or a holiday package in exchange for their help.
The Cybercrime in Australia 2024 report also showed 27 per cent were targeted with online abuse or harassment, which is classified as a cybercrime.
The harms ‘extend beyond financial losses’
Vulnerable groups targeted by the range of crimes included young people, Indigenous Australians, LGBTIQ+ communities and people with disabilities.
First Nations respondents had a significantly higher prevalence of victimisation across all types of cybercrime.
The institute says the survey helps map out who is more likely to fall victim to cybercrime.
It also showed more people needed to reach out to authorities, deputy director Rick Brown said.
“Overall, rates of cybercrime victimisation remain high, reporting to police and ReportCyber remains low, and a large proportion of victims are negatively impacted by cybercrime,” Brown said.
“These harms extend beyond financial losses.”
The report found an increase in social and health harms among victims.
Those surveyed said the most common forms of online abuse and harassment they experienced were being sent unsolicited sexually explicit material followed by someone hacking into their social media accounts.
Posting mean or hurtful messages that made respondents feel hurt, embarrassed or unsafe also made the cut.
When asked about the most recent incident, nearly half of these victims (47 per cent) said it involved a stranger online.
Small and medium business owners also faced disproportionate risks, with nearly 25 per cent of them more likely to seek help from authorities compared to 18 per cent in 2023.
While there was no change in average financial losses after recoveries, the proportion of identity crime and misuse victims who recovered money increased from 75 per cent to 82 per cent.
Brown urged people to be more pro-active in protecting themselves online by using secure passwords and installing security updates, with the report finding the rates “worryingly low”.
