With more and more people gradually beginning to accept the internet as a valid marketplace, consumer spending in 2004 hit a record $65.1 billion. As more people trusted websites as a safe way to purchase their goods, so more people were stung by online fraud. More consumers shopping online means more opportunity for organized (and opportunistic) crime through the internet, and as people become more trusting their vigilance wanes accordingly.

Victims of fraud from the first six months of 2005 lost an average of $2,759; comparing this with an average of $895 for the whole of 2004 gives some indication of the exponential rise in attacks.

Online crime can manifest itself in a number of ways: complaints in 2004 relating to general purchases of goods, including instances where goods were not received or were not as described, accounted for 30% of the fraud complaints. Similar complaints relating to internet auction sites accounted for the biggest proportion of problems, taking up a mighty 44% of the whole.

With identity theft and ‘phishing’ only become more popular within the online underworld, it is only prudent to arm oneself with a few easy to execute hints and tips. Using commonsense when dealing with internet transactions may not guarantee a fraud-free experience – naturally it is impossible to predict what the other party to the transaction may do – but it will go a long way to preventing you getting ripped off. Certainly a little caution can only help.