One in five cyber crime victims feel they were specifically targeted by hackers
Figures by Get Safe Online suggest people are feeling more vulnerable to cyber crime
One in five people affected by cyber crime believe that they've been specifically targeted by criminals and many more feel vulnerable to the potential threat of hackers and cyber fraudsters, research has revealed.
According to the survey, which was commissioned by Get Safe Online, the joint public private internet safety initiative, for Get Safe Online Week, 21 per cent of cyber crime victims feel they were specifically targeted by hackers.
The report comes after official figures released by the Office for National Statistics said there were over 2.5 million reported incidents of cyber crime in the last year.
Other statistics released by Get Safe Online suggest that over a quarter of those who've fallen victim to cyber crime have done so after being duped by phishing attempts, many of which are specifically targeted to their interests.
Meanwhile, Just 38 per cent of cyber crime victims believe the incident involving them is down to just bad luck, with over half (57 per cent) believing it is becoming much easier to fall victim to a cyber crime online.
The Get Safe Online research also suggests that 41 per cent of people who've been a victim of cyber crime lost money, with the average cost to the victim being £738.
Matt Bradford, head of the national fraud intelligence bureau at the City of London Police, warned that internet users need to wise-up and adapt to the new techniques being adopted by cyber criminals and hackers.
"Fraudsters are cashing in online and are using the internet to commit crimes which they would never have been able to execute in previous decades," said Bradford.
"As this type of offending continues to increase and the internet becomes a playground for criminals, it is important that members of the public do everything they can to stop themselves becoming a victim of fraud and cyber crime," he continued.
Bradford described how people need to "think about their online behaviour and ensure that they do everything they can to protect themselves".
"Simple measures such as limiting the amount of personal information shared on social media platforms and the use of anti-virus software can help to prevent online crime," he said.
Tony Neate, chief executive of Get Safe Online, also issued advice on how internet users can try to protect themselves against cyber crime.
"There are simple steps we can all take to protect ourselves online, including putting a password on any of your connected devices such as your phone or tablet, using the highest security settings on your social media accounts and never disclosing your confidential details when you are contacted by an email or on the phone - a legitimate organisation would never ask you to do this," he said.
Further reading: How Danny Palmer was very nearly deceived by a targeted malicious phishing email.