Illinois Is State Hit Hardest by Cybercrime

The highest concentration of cybercrime victims in the United States can be found in Illinois, according to a recent study by Clario.

The London-based cybersecurity company analyzed cybercrime data in the UK and the US to determine which geographical areas were hardest hit by attackers. 

In the US, Illinois topped the table with 14.6 victims per 1,000 people. The Prairie State was followed closely by Virginia, which had 13.2 victims per 1,000 people, and New York, which had 11. 

Total losses due to cybercrime were $107,152,415 in Illinois, $92,467,791 in Virginia, but just $19,876,576 in New York. 

California was where the most money had been stolen collectively, with $573,624,151 lost to digital thieves. Cybercrime victims in Ohio lost more per person on average ($28,734) than anywhere else in the United States. 

In the UK, Somerset had the highest victim count with 13.6 victims per 1,000 people, followed by Northumbria, with 13.5, and Dorset, with 9.1.

In the UK, the Channel Island of Jersey saw the highest per person loss to cybercrime, with threat actors taking $11,244 on average from each victim. 

The study found victims residing in capital (or financial capital) cities lost far less money to cybercrime on average. In New York City, the average amount swiped from each victim was $516, while in London it was $1,049.

Many victims in both countries felt that their local government and legal system could be doing more to respond to cybercrime. 

“When asked, 57% of Brits told us that reporting issues to their local government had seen no response, while 37% of Americans said the same,” said Clario researchers. 

“Meanwhile, only 21% of people in the UK felt the legal system would help them in cases of cybercrime, while a staggering 55% of Americans felt their law enforcement was letting them down online.”

Clario produced the study using a combination of government, ONS, and census data mixed with open crime data from local constabularies and police forces on the number of victims of cybersecurity-related crimes. The financial-loss data came from the FBI’s “2019 Internet Crime Report” and UK police data.