One online crime occurs every 10 seconds

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Cyber crime in Britain has reached worrying levels with more than 3.6 million online crimes - more than one every 10 seconds - committed in 2008, according to research.

The annual Garlik Cybercrime report said that this was due to cyber criminals taking advantage of the recession, in addition to consumer complacency.

Online fraud had increased by 132 per cent in 2008, with losses totalling £52.5 million, compared to £22.6 million the previous year. The report attributed this rise to nearly 44,000 phishing sites targeting British banks and building societies.

The report, which analyses publicly available data, said that one of the most significant changes in cyber crime was a 207 per cent rise in account takeover fraud, where instead of opening new accounts criminals accessed existing accounts.

"Savvy criminals have got round the drying up of available credit in the current economic climate to maintain their illegal activities," the report said.

The estimated volume of cyber crime had fallen from 2006 to 2007, but rose between 2007 and 2008.

While consumers took steps to protect themselves after media and public attention over identity theft in 2006, by 2008 cyber criminals had “adapted and diversified” their approaches, according to the report.

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