Edition 2022

Foto omschrijving: Woman behind her laptop having trouble with her bank account places her hand in her hair.

How many people fall victim to cybercrime?

In 2021, 16.9 percent of the population fell victim to cybercrime. This is approximately the same number as traditional crime, such as burglary, theft, violence and vandalism.

Hoeveel slachtoffers maakt online criminaliteit?How many people fall victim to cybercrime? OverigOther cybercrime 0,6%Oplichting en fraudeSwindling and fraud9,7%Hacken6,9%HackingBedreiging en intimidatie2,3%Threats and harassment

Almost 10 percent of the population aged 15 or over were victims of online scams and fraud in 2021. Most cases concerned purchase fraud, i.e. goods or services purchased online that were not delivered. Other, less common, offences included sales fraud (products sold but not being paid for), payment fraud, identity fraud and phishing. The latter involves receiving a phone call, email or app from a (potential) fraudster. Among those who received such messages, 0.8 percent, which is over 100 thousand people, fell for it and lost money.

In 2021, 7 percent fell victim to hacking. Two percent had been confronted with online threats and harassment. This involves threatening, bullying, stalking and shame sexting.

Victims of cybercrime, 2021 (%)
Soort Victims
Total 16.9
Scams and fraud 9.7
Purchase fraud 6.9
Sales fraud 1.4
Payment fraud 1.3
Identity fraud 0.8
Phishing 0.8
Hacking 6.9
Hacking of account 5.7
Hacking of device 2.9
Threats and
intimidation
2.3
Threats 0.9
Bullying 0.8
Stalking 0.8
Shame sexting 0.4
Other cybercrime 0.6

Victims of phishing most likely to report it

Of all cybercrime victims, 47 percent have reported what happened to them to someone or some authority; 19 percent of them have reported it to the police. Fraud in payment transactions was reported by over three quarters of the victims to a bank, the police, the Fraud Help Desk or another authority. One quarter of the victims of fraud reported it to the police. Victims of phishing were most likely to report the crime, at 55 percent. Hacking was reported least often.

Cyberbullying, stalking and shame sexting may also include reporting it to family, friends, people at school or at work. The only information known in the case of online threats is whether they have been reported to the police.

Reported cybercrime, 2021 (% of all victims)
Soort delict Shared as information Reported to the police
Cybercrime total 46.5 18.7
. .
Payment fraud 76.6 24.9
Phishing 70.8 55.1
Stalking 68.4 22.6
Bullying 66.4 14
Identity fraud 56.4 32.1
Shame sexting 54.2 17
Sales fraud 46.6 24.8
Purchase fraud 40.6 20
Hacking 37.6 11.5
Threats 25.6 18.5
Other online offences 45.6 23.1

Over 1 in 7 victims suffer from mental health problems

Among victims of cybercrime, 15 percent suffered or had suffered from emotional or psychological problems. The level of impact of cybercrime depends on the type of crime or incident. Victims of online threats and harassment experience problems more often than victims of online scams and fraud and victims of hacking. For instance, more than half of victims of bullying experienced emotional or psychological problems, while in the case of hacking or purchase fraud, around 10 percent reported such problems.

Safety Monitor

The figures are taken from the Netherlands' Safety Monitor, a collaboration between CBS and the Ministry of Justice and Security. The Safety Monitor is a large-scale national survey covering topics since 2012 on the quality of people’s living environment, safety perceptions, crime victimisation, the citizen’s level of satisfaction with the police and prevention.

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CBS responds to developments in Dutch society by providing statistical information as facts that matter, and communicates on these facts with the outside world. In doing so, CBS offers insights into current developments in society and helps answer policy questions. Research at CBS is focused on broad trends in society and how these are interrelated.

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Contributors

Concept & image editor

Irene van Kuik

Infographics

Hendrik Zuidhoek

Janneke Hendriks

Richard Jollie

Editors

Gert Jan Wijma

Karolien van Wijk

Michel van Kooten

Paul de Winden

Ronald van der Bie

Sidney Vergouw

Translators

Taalcentrum-VU

Gabriëlle de Vet

Frans Dinnissen

Final editor

Elma Wobma

We thank all CBS colleagues who have contributed to this edition of The Netherlands in numbers.