CINCINNATI (WXIX) – Ohio ranked fifth in the nation for internet crimes last year, according to a report released Wednesday by the FBI.
Indiana ranked 16th and Kentucky ranked 31st.
Americans have lost $12.5 billion to online fraud. This is up from just $3.5 billion five years ago, and a 22% increase from 2022 to 2023.
Ohio State posted a $197 million loss last year, while Indiana lost $160 million and Kentucky $48 million.
Technology expert David Hatter said it often makes it easy for online criminals to take advantage of it. He said law enforcement and people who use the internet need to make changes to reduce the numbers.
“Until we find a way to stop these people and people realize how easy these scams are, we’re going to see more of this,” Hutter said. “People need to be more skeptical and cautious and follow good security practices.”
Phishing scams were the most commonly reported form of internet crime. Hatter said people need to be aware of the use of QR codes and check where they are coming from.
“Criminals know that there is no way to look at a QC code and know that it is not legal,” Hutter says.
People over 60 filed the most complaints last year, costing the nation $3.4 billion.
The FBI says anyone interested in learning more about how to identify online scams and potential scams should visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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