IC3 Logs 6 Million Complaints

"It took nearly seven years for the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to log its first million complaints. It took only 14 months to add the most recent million.

The IC3 logged five million complaints on March 12, 2020, a few weeks before it marked its 20th anniversary. After a period of record reporting, the center received its 6 millionth complaint on May 15, 2021.

“On one hand, the number holds some positive news,” said IC3 Chief Donna Gregory. “People know how to find us and how to report an incident.” Gregory said more reporting makes the FBI more effective in investigating cyber-enabled crime. “But on the other hand,” she added, “these numbers indicate more people are being affected by online crimes and scams.”

The IC3 collects and reports out its data in an annual report and educates the public by sending out notices about new scams or upticks in certain type of crimes. Its other key role is to support law enforcement. Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies can access the IC3’s data through a secure database, and, with a prompt report, FBI-led teams can support efforts to freeze lost funds.

IC3 saw complaints increase nearly 70% between 2019 and 2020. The top three crimes reported by victims in 2020 were phishing scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion. Victims lost the most money to business email compromise scams, romance and confidence schemes, and investment fraud..."
Internet crime 

2019 Internet Crime Report

"Internet-enabled crimes and scams show no signs of letting up, according to data   released by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in its 2019 Internet Crime Report. The last calendar year saw both the highest number of complaints and the highest  dollar losses reported since the center was established in May 2000.

 IC3 received 467,361 complaints in 2019—an average of nearly 1,300 every day—
and recorded more than $3.5 billion in losses to individual and business victims.
The most frequently reported complaints were phishing and similar ploys,
non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion. The most financially costly
complaints involved business email compromise, romance or confidence fraud,
and spoofing, or mimicking the account of a person or vendor known to the victim
to gather personal or financial information.

 Donna Gregory, the chief of IC3, said that in 2019 the center didn’t see an uptick in
 new types of fraud but rather saw criminals deploying new tactics and techniques to
 carry out existing scams.."
Internet crime

IC3 Annual Report Released

"The statistics gathered by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for 2018 show Internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation remain pervasive and were responsible for a staggering $2.7 billion in financial losses in 2018.

In its annual Internet Crime Report, the FBI reports the IC3 received 351,936 complaints in 2018—an average of more than 900 every day. The most frequently reported complaints were for non-payment/non-delivery scams, extortion, and personal data breaches. The most financially costly complaints involved business email compromise, romance or confidence fraud, and investment scams, which can include Ponzi and pyramid schemes..."
Internet crime

2016 Internet Crime Report

"Giving someone access to your computer is like giving out a key to your front door. A computer can have your bank account information, family photos, and other private documents and data—information that fraudsters would like to steal. That’s why tech support fraud has become a significant trend in online crime, according to the 2016 Internet Crime Report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

In tech support fraud cases, criminals convince unsuspecting victims to provide remote access to their computer by calling and posing as tech support personnel from a legitimate company. The criminal can then simply charge your credit card for a fake anti-virus product, or, in more sinister situations, they can steal your personal information or install malware. More than 10,000 incidents of tech support fraud were reported to the IC3 in 2016, with victims losing nearly $8 million. Though anyone can be a victim, older computer users are the most vulnerable targets..."
Internet Crime data

Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative
"President Obama has identified cybersecurity as one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation, but one that we as a government or as a country are not adequately prepared to counter. Shortly after taking office, the President therefore ordered a thorough review of federal efforts to defend the U.S. information and communications infrastructure and the development of a comprehensive approach to securing America’s digital infrastructure.

In May 2009, the President accepted the recommendations of the resulting Cyberspace Policy Review, including the selection of an Executive Branch Cybersecurity Coordinator who will have regular access to the President. The Executive Branch was also directed to work closely with all key players in U.S. cybersecurity, including state and local governments and the private sector, to ensure an organized and unified response to future cyber incidents; strengthen public/private partnerships to find technology solutions that ensure U.S. security and prosperity; invest in the cutting-edge research and development necessary for the innovation and discovery to meet the digital challenges of our time; and begin a campaign to promote cybersecurity awareness and digital literacy from our boardrooms to our classrooms and begin to build the digital workforce of the 21st century. Finally, the President directed that these activities be conducted in a way that is consistent with ensuring the privacy rights and civil liberties guaranteed in the Constitution and cherished by all Americans..."

IC3 2009 Annual Report on Internet Crime Released
"The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), released the 2009 Annual Report about fraudulent activity on the Internet today.

Online crime complaints increased substantially once again last year, according to the report. The IC3 received a total of 336,655 complaints, a 22.3 percent increase from 2008. The total loss linked to online fraud was $559.7 million; this is up from $265 million in 2008.

YEAR COMPLAINTS RECEIVED DOLLAR LOSS
2009 336,655 $559.7 million
2008 275,284 $265 million
2007 206,884 $239.09 million
2006 207,492 $198.44 million
2005 231,493 $183.12 million"