• 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 Geek Cyber Tech 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 Geek Cyber Tech. 

• £2.2bn lost by victims.

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