IC3 Annual Report – 2016 Internet Crime Report

by Billy J Long FBI - IC3

Dear Reader,

The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating cyber attacks by criminals, overseas adversaries, and terrorists. With each passing day, cyber intrusions are becoming more sophisticated, dangerous, and common. We continue to transform and develop in order to address the persistent and evolving cyber threats we face.

The FBI’s Internet rime Complaint enter (IC3) provides the public with a trustworthy and convenient reporting mechanism to submit information concerning suspected Internet-facilitated criminal activity. The I3 also strengthens the FBI’s partnerships with our law enforcement and industry partners.

The 2016 Internet rime Report highlights the IC3’s efforts in monitoring trending scams such as Business Email Compromise (BEC), ransomware, tech support fraud, and extortion. In 2016, IC3 received a total of 298,728 complaints with reported losses in excess of $1.3 billion.

This past year, the top three crime types reported by victims were non-payment and nondelivery, personal data breach, and payment scams. The top three crime types by reported loss were BEC, romance and confidence fraud, and non-payment and non-delivery scams.

This year’s report features a section on the importance of law enforcement collaboration and partnerships with the private sector and Intelligence Community. For example, the FBI continues to expand Operation Wellspring (OWS), an initiative through which state and local law enforcement officers are embedded in, and trained by, FBI cyber task forces and serve as the primary case agents on Internet-facilitated criminal investigations. Overall, OWS task forces opened 37 investigations in 2016 and have worked 73 total investigations since OWS was launched in August 2013.

We hope this report will assist you as we work in partnership to protect our nation and combat cyber threats.

Scott S. Smith
Assistant Director
Cyber Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Read the full report here: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2016_IC3Report.pdf