Illinois has experienced a six percent increase in victim complaints when it comes to the latest Internet crime data. According to data recently released in a 2023 Internet Crime Report released by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, (IC3), Illinois has also seen a 20% increase in dollar loss. While the crimes making up the top three were the same from year to year, investment fraud surged to the top of the list in 2023. This prompted a 74% increase in dollar loss to victims. Investment fraud, Business e-mail compromise, and tech support scams rounded out the top three.
Illinois mirrors national data which shows a nearly 10% increase in complaints received, and a 22% increase in losses suffered, compared to last year. Also similarly, investment fraud accounted for the highest dollar loss, carrying a $4,57 billion loss. Losses due to investment fraud in 2023 became the most of any crime type tracked by the IC3.
In 2023, the number one critical infrastructure target of ransomware was the healthcare and public health industry. The report indicated that different age groups tend to be impacted by different crimes. Victims 30-49 years old were the most likely group to report losses from investment fraud, while the elderly attributed well over half their losses to tech support scams.
If you are the victim of an internet crime, submit a complaint to the IC3. You can also file a complaint on behalf of another person. Find out more information at www.ic3.gov.
