Cyber Crime On The Rise During COVID-19 Pandemic

As the world reacts to a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the altered conditions have all but paved the way for a rise in certain cybercrime. More and more individuals and families are staying home to prevent the spread of the virus, leaving them with more time to spend on the internet. Likewise, children are home, rather than at school, and many are completing their lessons online, exposing them to more screen time then they might have had previously. Adults, too, are likely seeing an increase in screen time as many work from home, completing as much of their work as possible by addressing tasks that can be done from a computer.

Although technology has proven a great help during these trying times, we’re learning it is also posing a notable threat.

According to a statement released by the FBI, there has been a significant increase in various types of cybercrime throughout the United States. While this upswing is likely connected to the fact that most Americans have been spending a significantly larger portion of their day within the confines of their home, data suggests that other reasons might also be contributing to this criminal growth.

What Does the FBI Say?

According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) of the Federal Bureau, their organization has been receiving between 3,000 to 4,000 cybersecurity complaints daily since the COVID pandemic, a significant rise from the 1,000 average. With so many Americans now working from home, or staying home due to unemployment, there’s been a spike in online presence. Unfortunately, the same can be said for those who would run cyber schemes and other online tricks.

Children Are At Risk, Says FBI

The FBI also explains that the rise in crime may also be caused by the drastic increase in screen time for children. Because most children throughout the country are now home-bound, they are spending much more time online, perhaps unsupervised, and could be at an increased risk for exploitation by hackers and online scams. Although anyone could be targeted by online scams, children and the elderly have proven to be more susceptible.

Brad Bailey Law Can Help If You Were Accused

If you were recently accused of committing a cybercrime, our firm may be able to help. These types of crimes can vary in nature, and can include anything from money laundering to identity theft, other types of theft, extortion, or fraud. We believe everyone should have the right to thorough, professional legal representation, and we are passionate about fighting for the rights of our clients. If you find yourself facing charges for a crime during this trying time, we want to hear from you.