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Home News Number of cybercrime cases skyrocketing

Number of cybercrime cases skyrocketing

Dec 15, 2020
2 min reading time

The number of cybercrime reports has skyrocketed in recent years. This year, the number of cybercrime reports has already almost doubled compared to 2019. The month of May in particular has seen a huge spike. This is probably related to the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown in the Netherlands.  

Data from the police show that the number of cybercrime cases has increased significantly in recent years. While there were 2,227 reports of cybercrime in 2017, there were already 4,700 in 2019. Moreover, the number of reports until October 2020 has already almost doubled compared to the total number of reports in 2019.

Peak number of reports in May during first lockdown

The increased number of reports of cybercrime seems to go hand in hand with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the measures and the first lockdown in March, people are increasingly at home as well as online. This offers cybercriminals more opportunities. Because people work from home a lot and are dependent on their computers and the Internet, criminals carry out phishing and malware attacks. In this way, they try to retrieve sensitive information. More and more phishing emails are also being sent, for example in the name of well-known (health) organizations. In addition, more and more websites with fake news about the corona virus are popping up. Due to the outbreak of the virus, cyber criminals have found new ways to make victims.

Notable is the spike in the number of cybercrime reports in the month of May, during the first lockdown. The number of reports then tripled compared to January. Moreover, in that month, for the first time nationwide, there were more cybercrime reports to police than reports of residential burglaries.

Another increase seen during the second lockdown in October

Police figures show another increase in cybercrime reports in October. This increase appears to coincide with the second lockdown and the new stricter measures announced in early October. It remains to be seen if this increase continues while the lockdown remains in effect. In any case, the number of cybercrime reports has already doubled from last year.

Cyber Insurance

Meanwhile, it is also possible to insure against cybercrime, but few people take advantage of this. The demand for cyber insurance is increasing, but not in step with the increase in the number of reports of cybercrime.

 

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