US victims claim $182 million in cybercrime losses
Date: April 10, 2006Source: investors.com
Cybercrime is getting dirtier.
U.S. victims of Internet fraud crimes last year claimed a record $182 million in losses, up from $68 million in 2004, according to an annual report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center, released Thursday.
The IC3, which acts as a clearinghouse for Internet fraud complaints, is a joint venture of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the nonprofit National White Collar Crime Center.
Internet fraud seems to have taken a more sinister tone than in past years, says FBI spokesman Paul Bresson.
"We are seeing a lot more scams online motivated by financial purposes," he said. "Before, (computer) hackers were doing it for bragging rights."
In fact, while IC3 received more complaints in 2005 than in 2004, it referred to law enforcement agencies fewer cases last year than in 2004. The center refers only those cases that have solid evidence and reasonable chances of being solved.
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