A new report has revealed the hidden mental health impact of cyber-crime on the UK public, an oft-overlooked fallout of rising scams, fraud, and ransomware attacks.

A survey of 1,002 Britons who have bene a victim of cyber-crime in the past year, commissioned by Akamai Technologies, reports that most are ashamed of their experience, feel as if they’ve done something wrong, and believe there is an unfair stigma placed on them.

While a cyber-crime on average cost surveyed victims £808, the report showed the damage is much deeper.

The hidden mental health crisis

As a result of the financial loss, one on five victims struggled to pay their bills, or had to cut back on spending on essentials like food in the wake of the incursions.

Nearly two-thirds of Britons said they felt traumatised by what happened to them (62%), and a majority also admitted to feelings of shame (59%) and embarrassment (67%).

Over half (55%) said they continued to experience anxiety after the cyber-crime, especially while using online services, and nearly one in three (29%) had trouble sleeping.

Despite this, many Britons are likely to hide the cyber-crime they experienced from others.

More than two-fifths (43%) said they avoided telling people about what happened to them, out of fear that they would be judged.

A similar number (41%) admitted they hid the true extent of the emotional impact. Nearly two-thirds (64%) blamed themselves for what happened.

“Cyber-crime is incredibly common. And with the rise of AI, it’s becoming even more difficult to tell the difference between a genuine request from someone you know, and a scammer,” said Natalie Billingham, EMEA managing director, Akamai.

“Cyber-crime is not just a technological issue; it’s a human one. Cyber-criminals prey on a victim’s vulnerability as there’s still a perception that if you’re a victim of cyber-crime, you’ve done something wrong. They rely on their victims not talking about their attack.

“We need to stop this ‘cyberstigma’ because if we’re more understanding about cyber-crime, and talk about it more, we’ll stand a better chance of fighting back against cyber-criminals.”

Recommended

• Third of IT & Telco Businesses Unprepared for Next Global Crisis
  
• CISO’s Push for Mental Health Support in Cybersecurity
• Half of Cybersecurity Professionals Expect to Burnout Within the Next Year

Combatting ‘cyberstigma’

The Britons surveyed experienced a wide range of cyber-crimes, including phishing (57%), identity theft (33%), phone hacking (30%), and ransomware (15%).

The majority, however, said they could not find resources and support to help them (55%), and that there needs to be more support for cyber-crime victims (70%).

Britons reported it took an average of ten weeks for them to feel back to normal after the cyber-crime they suffered.

“Cyber-crime can be devastating to an individual’s mental well-being. As this research has shown, self-blame is common, and feeds into feelings of inadequacy that can be incredibly toxic,” said Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo, associate fellow of the British Psychological Society.

“The truth is, today cyber-crime can happen to anyone, and it’s so important we consider the mental health effects of this type of crime on victims.”

Dr Quinn-Cirillo and Akamai published a new guide to deal with the mental health impact of cyber-crime, titled Its Time to Talk About Cyberstigma, providing advice for victims to discuss cyber-crime.