Discovery research

Who the users are and what they need

Ultimately we know everyone’s affected by cybercrime.

To begin to test and broaden our assumptions about what people need, we held one-on-one conversations with potential and actual victims of cybercrime and collected stories from people who’ve witnessed and fallen victim to cybercrime through a story gathering tool.

We learned that most victims don’t identify themselves as victims of “cybercrime”. They might use more specific terms like “identity theft” or might be most comfortable describing their experience. They do not use the same categories to describe a cybercrime event that law enforcement use.

Early on, we learned that the public needs:

• Low-burden reporting
• Nudges to report
• Mitigation advice
• Emotional reassurance
• Evidence sharing

Why people report cybercrime

Altruism

Altruists want to report crime to help prevent it from happening to others. They are trying to protect others by helping the authorities. They report because “it’s the right thing to do”.

Problem solving

Solvers try to fix the problems the crime poses for them or their friends and family. They want to recover money, clean computers, stop anything else bad from happening. They report to police, but only if they believe the police can help them mitigate the damage of the crime.

Justice seeking

Justice seekers want the criminals caught; they look for “hands in cuffs”. They might want their money recovered, but they really want justice done. They collect and submit evidence about the crime and are sometimes disappointed when no investigation proceeds.

Why people don’t report cybercrime

Feeling embarrassed, ashamed, at fault

If a victim feels like they did something wrong, they will not share crucial details about their experience. They also may not report when they are not aware that what they experienced warrants finding help.

Not knowing what the options are for reporting

Because victims don’t know what a cybercrime is (in legal terms), they don’t know who to turn to for help, and are often unable to find help to begin with. They don’t report when they are overwhelmed by an ambiguous process.

Being disappointed or intimidated by law enforcement

When victims complete a report, they expect follow-up and respect from the police. If police are not responsive, victims avoid going to them for help when another incident occurs.