Cybercrime: Top 10 States That Will Lose The Most Money In 2018

russia hacking — A man types on a computer keyboard in Warsaw in this Feb. 28, 2013, illustration file picture. REUTERS/KACPER PEMPEL

Last year saw several major hacks that targeted people’s data, like the Uber and Forever 21 cyber incidents. As the new year begins, a recent report predicts which states in the U.S. are most at risk to cyber crimes.

The study was conducted by Website Builder Expert (WBE), a platform that helps people launch their sites. For the study, WBE used data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Report and the Insurance Information Institute. Using that data, WBE was able to see which states will lose the most money to cyber crime in 2018, as well as which locations will lose the most in regards to individual complaints.

The report found California is the state that will lose the most money to cyber crimes this year. California, home to major tech companies, will lose over $329 million in 2018, the report said. The total is more than the bottom 36 states on the list combined.

“Despite the Golden State being home to one of the world’s most innovative tech hubs, Silicon Valley, it appears that there is still much work to do to protect Californian citizens from illegal activity online,” WBE said.

New York followed with more than $139 million in losses, while Florida came in at third place with more than $111 million in losses.

While New York came in second on that list, the Empire State came first on the top 10 list of most money lost under individual complaints. New Yorkers have the most money stolen, averaging about $7,149 per person, the study found. Virginia followed at $6,795 per individual complaint, and Colorado came in third at $6,106 per person.

When it comes to cyber crime prevalence, Michigan was the state most at risk. The state has over 201 reports of illegal online activity per 100,000 people. Hawaii had the least, averaging 55 reports per 100,000 people. The study also found cyber crimes in Florida are increasing at a higher rate compared to other states. On the other hand, Arizona has been the best state in reducing complaints by more than 3 per 100,000 people.

“This research shows just how widespread the issue of cybercrime is and how increasingly vulnerable US citizens are becoming online,” said Tom Watts, who led the research. “However, knowing is half the battle and this report should hopefully increase awareness and encourage more people to think more carefully about their day-to-day online security.”

WBE said these are the top 10 states that will lose the most money in 2018 to cyber crime:

California - $329,062,355

New York - $139,450,948

Florida - $111,756,654

Texas - $96,024,002

Virginia - $64,313,078

Illinois - $41,665,199

Colorado - $40,006,199

Pennsylvania - $33,423,602

Georgia - $32,432,405

Washington - $32,191,145

These are the top 10 states where the most money will be lost per person in 2018 due to cyber crime: