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Computer crime leaves state residents $3.3 million poorerMar 01, 2011 (The Day - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Connecticut residents lost more than $3.3 million to computer fraud last year, according to a report released today by the state Department of Consumer Protection. The Internet Crime Complaint Center, a joint effort between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, said in its report that non-delivery of merchandise was the biggest complaint among state consumers in 2010, followed by identity theft and auction fraud. The state ranked No. 26 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of its contribution to computer crime last year. Connecticut is 29th among states in population size. The median dollar loss for Connecticut residents who filed complaints was about $500. The biggest loss, $200,000, occurred because of identity theft, according to the Consumer Protection department. "Anyone who uses a computer is at risk for scams and fraud," said Commissioner William M. Rubenstein in a statement. He urged residents to install the latest security software on their computers, be aware of protecting personal information and take with a grain of salt offers that appear too good to be true. Nationwide, computer fraud fell in 2010 compared with the previous year, but the number of complaints is still about 50 percent higher than it was five years ago. To see more of The Day, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theday.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The Day, New London, Conn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |