Computer security firm Symantec yesterday reported that about two-thirds of the world’s Internet users have fallen victim to cybercrime and few think crooks will be caught.
China was tops when it came to online victims, with 83 percent of Internet users there having been hit by computer viruses, identity theft, online credit card fraud or other crimes, a Norton Cybercrime Report said. Brazil and India were tied for second place (76 percent), while the US was third (73 percent).
While victims said they felt furious and cheated, they were reluctant to take action because they felt efforts would be futile, according to a study by Symantec consumer division Norton.
“Cybercriminals purposely steal small amounts to remain undetected, but all of these add up,” said Adam Palmer, Norton lead cyber security advisor. “If you fail to report a loss, you may actually be helping the criminal stay under the radar.”
A tendency by people to accept cybercrime was in part due to “learned helplessness,” according to Joseph LaBrie, an associate professor of psychology at Loyola Marymount University. “It’s like getting ripped off at a garage — if you don’t know enough about cars, you don’t argue with the mechanic. People just accept a situation, even if it feels bad.”
Tens of thousands of Filipino Catholics yesterday twirled white cloths and chanted “Viva, viva,” as a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ was paraded through the streets of Manila in the nation’s biggest annual religious event. The day-long procession began before dawn, with barefoot volunteers pulling the heavy carriage through narrow streets where the devout waited in hopes of touching the icon, believed to hold miraculous powers. Thousands of police were deployed to manage crowds that officials believe could number in the millions by the time the statue reaches its home in central Manila’s Quiapo church around midnight. More than 800 people had sought
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