Opening your email inbox only to see an alert about yet another hacking at a company that has your personal information stored has become the norm. Some of the common types of cyber crime to look out for include hacking, identity theft, phishing, cyberbullying, cryptojacking, and ransomware.
According to Verizon, Ransomware breaches accounted for the majority of business-related attacks. For small businesses, this type of online crime made up 88% of their breaches. However, phishing is the top cybercrime overall and can affect any unsuspecting individual who clicks a bad link.
What Types of Cyber Crime Are Out There?
As technology has expanded, there are numerous ways to scam and outright hurt people. From clicking a bad link on an SMS message or email to someone creating a fake account impersonating you, cybercrime comes in many forms.
- Phishing
- Smishing (SMS phishing)
- Vishing (Voice phishing)
- Deep Fakes
- Fraud
- Identity Theft
- Ransomeware
- Malware
- Cyberespionage
- Cryptojacking
- Cyberstalking/bullying
- Software piracy
Phishing
This crime specializes in social engineering tactics to impersonate companies, trusted entities such as legal authorities, or someone the victim knows to steal sensitive information. They may use a sense of urgency or pretend to be tech support to get you to reveal passwords, logins, or click a malicious link.
For example, you may receive an email from what appears to be PayPal warning you about unauthorized charges or account suspension unless you click on the link to contact them.
A common giveaway that it's fake is the:
- Generic greetings instead of your full name
- Misspellings
- Unusual sender address
- Suspicious attachments
If any of the above happens, don't click anything. Just forward the email to PayPal's Security Center.
Phishing attempts can happen over:
- SMS (also known as Smishing)
- Voice Phishing (also known as Vishing)
What Is the Highest Reported Cyber Crime?
According to the latest FBI cyber crime statistics, phishing is among the top types of cyber crime, followed by extortion and personal data breaches. However, the most reported financial losses are from cryptocurrency victims who lost over $6.5 billion.
Additionally, age and location are factors in these crimes. Older adults over the age of 60 had the most losses as a group. Residents in California, Texas, and Florida also made the most online crime complaints.
What Is the Impact of Cyber Crime?
As the popular film The Beekeeper starring Jason Statham and Phylicia Rashad showed, the elderly are prime targets for online scammers, and the results can have devastating consequences.
Affected personal and commercial aspects include:
- Financial loss
- Business disruption
- Reputation damage
- Mental health issues
- Public safety concerns
According to IBM, the global average cost of a data breach is $4.4 million.
These attacks can affect health beyond causing stress. The BBC reported a 2024 cyber hack on London hospitals that affected over 800 planned operations and 700 outpatient appointments, resulting in postponement.
Reputations have suffered due to leaked embarrassing photos/videos and the creation of fake social media accounts. This has caused anxiety and depression for many, including self-inflicted fatalities.
A study by Arnon, Klomek, and Visoki et al. for JAMA Network in 2022, concluded that experiencing cyberbullying had a greater link to suicide in early adolescence than other factors, such as offline aggression.
The Growth of Cyber Law
A growing list of cyber crime laws and regulations has been created to counteract these issues. Many statutes now address topics from privacy and data protection to liability to e-commerce.
Some key statutes include:
- Child Online Privacy Protection Act
- Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act
- Digital Millennium Copyright Act
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
Is There a Way to Protect Myself?
Be proactive and on the offense with these frequent attacks. Create long, complicated passwords that no one can easily guess and change them frequently. Also, use 2-factor authentication for additional security.
Don't skip automatic software updates for devices and security systems. Install a VPN on your computer and phone, and ensure you have it on when using public wifi.
If you're active on social media, be careful what personal information you list, such as your address, birthday, etc. When online, only click on secure websites that have "https://."
How Can I Recover After a Hack?
A Ransomware Recovery Company, such as Cypfer, is available to help any business dealing with a ransomware attack. Contact Cypfer immediately to get back your data and reduce related downtime. The company has experts on standby to help affected clients 24/7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Most Affected By Ransomware?
According to Industrial Cyber, critical industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and energy were the top global business targets affected by at least 50% of 2025's ransomware attacks. The United States was the country that was the top target, as it accounted for 21% of these global incidents. The number of global ransomware attacks against such critical industries went up by 34% in 2025, according to research from KTLA.
What Are the First Signs of Identity Theft?
If you've been the victim of identity theft, you may start to notice unexpected credit card charges and unauthorized bank withdrawals. You may also begin receiving debt collection calls from unknown accounts, as well as mail for accounts that you know you didn't open.
You may also begin missing regular bills or have medical claims denied for services you've never received. Being locked out of online accounts or receiving password reset/two-factor authentication codes that you did not request can also happen.
A big red flag is errors on your credit report. Therefore, you should check it at least once a year or sign up for a service that allows you to check it frequently.
Protect Yourself with Cyber Crime Prevention Tips
With so many technological advances, activities, and businesses online, the types of cyber crime to worry about have grown annually. Cyberbullying, ransomware, phishing, and identity theft are just some of the reasons to take extra precautions when using social media, email, or working remotely.
Luckily, there are ways to protect your online reputation and finances, from installing VPNs to ransomware recovery professionals.
We hope this guide helps you remain secure online. Search our website for more insightful content.
This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.
