Washington Is The 10th Worst State For Cyber Crimes: Study

WASHINGTON -- A recent study found that Washington is a money-maker for online thieves. The state is apparently the 10th worst state in the country when it comes to reported cyber crimes, fraud and identity theft, according to a study by software application company, OpenVPN.

In 2016, Washingtonians lost $25,728,634 to internet crime. Individually, this took a toll on people— with damages totaling $3,742.89 in losses per person. Additionally, 55,607 Washingtonians reported some type of cyber crime. Men and adults 60-years and older reported the most cyber crime in 2015 and 2016, the study found.

Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving where retailers often offer deals online, saw a 40 percent increase in "malicious attacks against consumers," the study said. American consumers typically spend more than $3 billion on Cyber Mondays.

Cyber crimes have increased as online shopping has grown. "Ecommerce is growing 23 percent year-over-year, and a whopping 80 percent percent of Americans with an internet connection have made an online purchase in the last month," OpenVPN said.

So, how can you stay safe from online scammers? A report by consumeraffairs.com says to "avoid making online purchases using a wireless connection" and to "never click on a link in an email."

In addition, be sure to only use one credit card for online purchases that way only one account will be compromised if you become a victim and beware of offers that may sound too good to be true, the article wrote.

--Photo via Pixabay