Cybercrime in Malaga province increased by 40 per cent during 2020

Cybercrime increased in Malaga province by 40 per cent during 2020, mostly related to computer scams

According to data from the Security Forces and Bodies (National Police, Guardia Civil, Autonomous and Local Police), during 2020 in the province of Malaga, a total of 9,183 allegedly criminal acts related to information and communication technologies took place.

This represents an increase of 40.19 per cent compared to 2019, and makes up 23.45 per cent of the regional total. In Andalucia, a total of 39,157 cybercrimes were registered in 2020, 36.6 per cent more than in 2019.

Data recorded since 2016 confirm that cybercrime is a growing phenomenon, and that its proportional weight within the crime group is progressively increasing. In 2016, 1,580 crimes of this type were registered in Malaga, which have progressively increased to 9,183 in 2020. In 2019, the figure stood at 6,550 criminal acts.

Of cybercrimes registered in Malaga, 87.81 percent (8,064) were related to computer fraud scams. Next came threats and coercion with 496 criminal acts, those of access and illegal interception with 245, and those of computer falsification with 171.

With regard to Andalucia, a total of 39,157 allegedly criminal acts related to information and communication technologies were detected last year, which represents an increase of 36.6 per cent compared to 2019. It also equates to 13.5 per cent of the national total, which in 2020 stood at 287,963 cybercrimes, 31.9 per cent more than in 2019.

Catalonia and Madrid precede the Andalucian community, with 48,794 and 48,678 criminal offences respectively. They are followed by the Valencian Community (25,732), the Basque Country (17,866), Castilla y Leon (15,457) and Galicia (14,632).

Of the total known cybercrimes, 89.6 per cent (257,907) were online computer frauds (scams). Threats and coercion committed over the Internet followed far behind (14,066 cases), representing 4.9 per cent.

Profilers have determined that the cybercriminal is usually male (73.3 per cent of those arrested or investigated), aged between 26 and 40, and of Spanish nationality, allegedly involved in the field of computer fraud, threats and coercion, and sexual crimes.

According to the information registered by the Office of Cybersecurity Coordination (OCC), and by the National Institute of Cybersecurity of Spain (INCIBE), throughout 2020, a total of 861 cybersecurity incidents were reported in critical infrastructures. This figure is 5.2 per cent up on the previous year.

Tax and financial sectors (52.5 per cent) were the worst affected, followed by transport (24.08 per cent), and energy (14.05 per cent), as reported by malagahoy.es.

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