U.S. consumers lost $20.7 billion to cybercrime over the past 12 months, with 71 million Americans falling victim to online perps, according to new research.
Meanwhile, worldwide losses resulting from cybercrime including malware attacks and phishing hit $110 billion between July 2011 and the end of July 2012, a report by security company Symantec (PDF) has found.
On average, each victim experienced $197 in direct financial loss. In the United States, the average loss was $290.
According to the report, an estimated 556 million adults across the world had first-hand experience of cybercrime over the period — more than the entire population of the European Union. The figure equates to nearly half of all adults online (46 percent), and is up from 45 percent a year ago.
Much more:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57506216-83/cybercrime-costs-u.s-consumers-$20.7-billion/
