Survey Shows Computer Crime Up

"PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Increasingly, Americans are being victimized by computer crimes, Gallup's 2010 crime survey finds.

Eleven percent of U.S. adults said they or a household member were the target of a computer crime on their home computer in the past year, up from 6 to 8 percent in recent years, Gallup reported Monday.

Theft of money or property was the most common crime overall, at 16 percent, followed by vandalism of a home, car or other property at 14 percent. Next, after computer crime, was the closely related category of identity theft at 8 percent.

Fewer than 5 percent of respondents reported being victimized by a home break-in, a car theft or a violent crime. A third of all U.S. households suffered at least one of the nine categories Gallup found.

The computer crime rise was felt most in younger age groups.

The telephone survey of 1,025 adults was conducted Oct. 7-10 with a margin of error of 4 percentage points."

Courtesy of Computer Crime Research Centre.