Welcome to the First Column IT Tech Blog

HomeBlog
Recent Data Shows Surprising Trends in Cybercrime Victimization

Recent Data Shows Surprising Trends in Cybercrime Victimization

September 22, 2023

When it comes to who is victimized in cybercriminal efforts, there may be a few stereotypes and presumptions that a lot of people may hold. A recent report, Oh, Behave!, released by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and Cybsafe, shows that the real victims of many forms of cybercrime aren’t who many would expect.

Let’s break down what Oh, Behave! indicates.

Cybercrime Victimization is a Complicated Subject

First off, surveyed participants overwhelmingly agreed that their online security was a priority—78% reporting in the affirmative, an excellent sign.

That being said, only half of respondents felt that remaining secure online was possible or under their control, with just under half claiming that doing so was either frustrating or intimidating. This is not the attitude you want present in your business, protecting the data that could potentially end your business if it were to be breached.

This Research Also Revealed Who Was Most Prone to Different Scams

Across effectively all forms of cybercriminal attack the survey covered—phishing, identity theft, romance scams, and cyberbullying—it was the younger generations, Gen Z and Millennials, who were most often victimized, or at least reported it most often.

Fortunately, many people are willing to report when they have been victimized, at least when it comes to phishing (69% reporting, as compared to 31% who did not report) and identity theft (74% reporting, as compared to 26% who did not report). Less promising were the reporting/not reporting rates for romance scams with 55% reporting, 45% not reporting, and cyberbullying with 52% reporting, and 48% not reporting, respectively.

It Is So Important to Train Your Team Members to Do Better

We can help. Reach out to us to learn more about how we can help teach your team to be more secure. Give us a call at (571) 470-5594 today.

Previous Post
July 1, 2026
Your Business Deserves IT Planning Once Reserved for the C-Suite
You know if you skip too many oil changes, it's going to cause long-term damage to your car, so why would you skip network maintenance?
June 29, 2026
Stop Reactive Hardware Upgrades with a 12-Week Sprint
For many small businesses, upgrading IT hardware feels a lot like a trip to the dentist: it gets delayed until the pain becomes completely unbearable. Waiting for devices to die before replacing them leads to the ultimate budget trap—buying an entire fleet of new tech all at once.
June 26, 2026
Co-Managed IT: Supporting Your Internal Tech Lead
When a small business grows, the workload for a single internal IT manager often becomes unsustainable. Your technical lead spends most of their time resolving repetitive desk requests, which prevents them from executing the strategic projects required to improve business operations.

Have a project in mind?

Start with our free consultation. We will provide a detailed proposal and firm quote based on your specific IT support needs. All at a predictable monthly cost per seat.
Free Consultation - Sign Up Here