Phishing fraud as frequent as never before in 2007

In 2007 the number of cases of pishing fraud in online banking increased as never before by 25%. This is the finding of a projection by the German Association for Information Management, Telecommunications and New media (BITKOM). In the whole of Germany criminals in more than 4100 cases withdraw approximately 19 million Euros from the accounts of their victims. This means that the damage caused increased by 25% as compared to the year 2006. According to regional police authorities most victims were registered in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Berlin.

There is, however, good news for 2008 given that for the first time in years a decline in the number of pihing fraud is possible. “Figures for the first half of this year give reason to believe that there will be significantly less victims this year”, said Prof. Dieter Kempf who is member of the executive committee of BITKOM. Given that so far not all Federal laenders have communicated their respective data, this can just serve as a prediction. From a statistical point of view it may even possible that the number of phishing victims may fall by 50 percent by the end of this year, given that the average damage caused decreases as well. While in 2006 and in 2007 on average 3700 Euros were stolen from the accounts of victims this figures has fallen to 3200 so far this year. GERMAN

Matomo