Computer crime: Online headaches by the numbers

49 RATING THE RISK Almost half population doesn’t feel at great risk of a victim

Only 12 per cent felt there is a high risk of financial loss due to computer crime, while 49 per cent felt it is low.

But for those younger than 35, 60 per cent feel the risk is low.

70 PHISH AND TELL Being fooled by phoney financial institutions the biggest problem

While fewer than one in five (18 per cent) reported cyber fraud to police, 70 per cent did report the crimes they fell for to relevant institutions, such as a credit card company or, to a lesser degree, a bank.

Just over one-third (36 per cent) got back only a partial amount of the money they lost, while a quarter (26 per cent) got back nothing.

3 BANK ON IT Only a small percentage of people change passwords

Mostly via computer, 87 per cent bank online.

That number rises to 96 per cent for those younger than 35 years. Another 35 per cent bank with their smart phone. Yet just three per cent say they frequently change their passwords or use other password protection and only 60 per cent use secure Wi-Fi when banking online.

58 HOME INVASION

More fear actual invasion over someone hacking a computer

When asked what they fear most, 58 per cent said house or apartment break-in, compared with 27 per cent who said they were most worried about computer crime.

Only seven per cent worry about loss or theft from their smartphone.

50 PREVENTIVE MEDICINE Most computer users don’t bother using anti-virus software

Less than half the population takes preventive security measures, such as installing brand-name antivirus or anti-malware software.

The same number applies to those who don’t set up their devices to lock automatically.

Meanwhile, only 42 per cent do limited or no research when offered a bargain or other sales deals on the Internet.

27 FEAR OF REPEAT A minority of people think lightning could strike twice

A total of 16 per cent say have been victims of fraud or loss through a computer crime.

That applies across every demographic. Just over a quarter, 27 per cent, feel at risk of repeat incidents.

59 NAME YOUR SCAM Credit-card fraud most likely to make you an online victim

Credit-card fraud is the most common cybercrime provincewide.

Fifty-nine per cent of those who had been victimized said it was via credit card, followed by online payment systems (20 per cent) and Internet scams (17 per cent).

The other ways of being a victim of an online scam include hacked computer (14 per cent), debit card and/or bank account (nine per cent), email fraud (seven per cent) and ransom ware, in which your information is held hostage (seven per cent).