Why People Don't Report

People of all shapes and sizes can become victims of cybercrimes in an instant. Whether it means their personal information was leaked online or their device was hijacked, one can experience malicious actors online. Although this is true, and fairly common to see nowadays, some people do not report or even care about these crimes occurring.

Personally, I would say that people often fail to report cybercrimes because they underestimate their severity or are simply unaware that it has happened in the first place. However, researchers were able to pinpoint multiple common reasons why people choose not to report being a victim of cybercrimes. According to the cited study, these reasons included shame, fear of repercussion, lack of hope for recovery, and a lack of knowledge of scams or sources of support.

I tend to agree with these findings. Many people could feel ashamed of their ignorance, leading them to hide from support. Also, some may feel distaste for Cyberspace as a whole, as it was the reason they were exposed to the malicious intent of this kind. On the other hand, support systems are rather common. These individuals would do well to educate themselves, secure their devices, and return to Cyberspace with the intent to prosper once again.

Sources:

Havers, B., Tripathi, K., Burton, A., Martin, W., & Cooper, C. (2024). A qualitative study exploring factors preventing older adults from reporting cybercrime and seeking help. CrimRxiv.