People Are Actually Using The Government’s ‘Cybercrime’ Reporting Portal

Despite its CSI-esque name, in 2016 the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN) received more than 45,500 reports, according to information released today by Minister for Justice Michael Keenan.

Online fraud and scams make up 43.97 per cent (22,679) of those reports, and issues with buying and selling online attracting 8,783 reports.

Victorians were hit hardest, followed by Queenslanders and New South Wales residents, and most reports came from 20 to 40 year olds (40 per cent), followed by 40 to 60 year olds (38 per cent).

“The threat of malicious cyber activity is serious and growing,” Keenan said in a statement. “It endangers the privacy and safety of Australians, the wealth and information generated and held by our businesses and governments, and our national security”.

Keenan says with today marking Safer Internet Day 2017, raising awareness of emerging online issues and encouraging all Australians to watch out for common online scams “has never been more vital”.

Keenan warns of fake websites selling counterfeit items and gifts.

“Scammers are known to set up sophisticated websites designed to trick consumers into thinking they’re legitimate businesses, often using a ‘.com.au’ domain name and stolen Australian Business Number (ABN).”

“Protecting the Australian people, economy, our way of life, and making us more resilient to attack is the Australian Government’s top priority”.

ACORN was launched in November 2014, and is not only used for reporting cases of “cybercrime” but the information given contributes to a national intelligence database, used by authorities “to identify criminals”.

No information was given as to how many of these cases resulted in investigations being opened, or how this compares to previous years before ACORN existed.

[ACORN]


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