May’s cyber crime shock
Thousands of Brits targeted by cyber bug
THERESA May faces humiliation this morning when official stats show crime has soared under her watch.
The annual national crime survey will now include cases of fraud and cyber offences, adding millions of extra cases to records.
It looks set to hammer the Home Secretary’s claim the Tories have cut crime every year while also slashing police budgets.
Labour’s shadow police minister Jack Dromey blasted: “Labour have long said that crime is not falling, it is changing.”
AT least £20million has been plundered from British bank accounts by web crooks using a super-strong computer bug.
Damaging software – known as malware – enabled the hackers to swipe the details of customers who use online banking.
The National Crime Agency, investigating the cyber attacks, said the “virulent” Dridex virus was built by gangs in Eastern Europe.
It is believed thousands of UK computers have been infected.
The probe has been made public after what is understood to be at least one significant arrest. The £20million of estimated losses in the last two years is “conservative”, and could be far more, insiders say.
Bank customers are being urged to ensure they have up-to-date antivirus software to prevent attacks.
Mike Hulett, from the NCA, said: “This is a particularly virulent malware and we have been working with international law enforcement partners and industry, to mitigate the damage it causes.”
He said more arrests are expected. Computers become infected with the virus when people open documents in seemingly genuine emails.
The FBI and teams in Germany and Moldova are working with the NCA. The British Bankers’ Association said: “Banks spend hundreds of millions each year on sophisticated systems to protect customers from fraud and cyber crime.
“But some ruthless criminals continue to target savers directly.”
Figures out today are expected to confirm cyber crime has become the UK’s most common offence.