Cyber Seniors Prime Targets of Online Frauds

Almost 60% of the users who reported falling victims to cyber crime were sufferers of malicious programs or 'malicious intent', comprising either of spam, phishing, ID theft, fraud, or a computer infringement. This is as per an assessment of data gathered through the "Take a Byte Out of Cyber Crime" campaign, under the initiative of the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Council and its partners from the public sector.

Disturbingly, 28% of users reporting online crimes suggested that they fell victim to internet scams, with almost 50% of those victims being aged 60 or above. Hence, the CMO Council has started an initiative with AVG Technologies.

Meanwhile, as malicious software has become increasingly refined, it has increased its reach all over internet. Also, the drastic rise in malevolent search replies has been just when several security companies reported enormous hike in malware cases during recent years.

Also, since a majority of unfortunate circumstances involving phishing, fraud and financial crime on the web begin by sending/receiving a spam mail, it is worthwhile to apply the common sense as well as to exercise caution because it could help to avoid an unbelievable, or at times scary e-mail messages from unrecognized sources.

Further, cyber crime assessors stated that harassment led to the second greatest form of digital intrusion and Internet threats in the cyber world. Over 40% of the reports were from users who suggested they were victims of cyber bullying. Also, according to the study, 20% of the cyber crimes occurred over the IM (instant messaging) medium. A number of reports also related to botheration of PC users during internet gaming chat sessions.

Executive Director of the CMO Council, Donovan Neale-May, said that it is frightening to discover that over 50% of the users who complained of cyber crime suffered from harassment or fraud and that most of those complainants were older citizens, as reported by marketwatch on December 16, 2008.

Additionally, a highly upsetting trend in cyber crime during 2008 is the rise of a mature underground world where ID theft information, credit card details, spam as well as phishing software are traded at relatively cheap rates.

Related article: Cyber Child abuser Sentenced To Imprisonment

» SPAMfighter News - 12/27/2008