According to date in the recently released 2023 Internet Crime Report produced by the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, Illinois experienced a 6% increase in victim complaints and a 20% increase in dollar loss.
While the crimes making up the top three were the same from year to year, investment fraud surged to the top of the list in 2023, producing a 74% increase in dollar loss to victims. Business e-mail comprise(BEC) - a sophisticated scam targeting both businesses and individuals performing transfers of funds, and tech support scams rounded out the top three.
Illinois' results mirror the national data which shows a nearly 10% increase in complaints received, and a 22% increase in losses suffered, compared to the previous year. And like Illinois, investment fraud accounted for the highest dollar loss, carrying a $4.57 billion loss.
The FBI recommends that the public frequently review consumer and industry alerts published by 1C3. More details regarding the 2023 Internet Crime Report can be found online.
