A Study of Pattern of Cybercrime Abuse of Individual Internet Users in Nigeria

• In Event: Roundtable: Crime

Abstract

Although a number of studies exist on cybercrime and its abuses, little is known about the pattern of cybercrime abuses individual Internet users experience in Nigeria. Using data collected via various methods, this study examines the pattern of cybercrime abuses of individual Internet users in Umuahia, Abia State, of south eastern Nigeria. Results: there is a very high level of cybercrime victimization among individual Internet users in Umuahia (95%; M= 2.37; SD=1.56). While most users are victims of stolen ICT-gadgets (19%), fraud related offences (17%), and hacking (15%); they rarely fall victims of malware attacks, cyber-bullying, etc. On average, individual Internet users experience more of property-based cyber abuses (M = 1.94; SD = 1.21) than they experience violent-based cyber abuses types. Individual internet uses experience more cyber-enabled abuses (M = 1.25; SD = 1.09) than they experience cyber-focused abuses (M = 1.17, SD = .89), t(923) = 2.006, p = .000, r =.2. That while money (49%) and phone (36%) are about the most significant item lost to cybercrime abuses; items like laptops, cars, etc are barely lost as their proportion hover around 3% and below. Increasing information security awareness campaign, especially that of property-based categories are recommended.

Authors

• Ogochukwu Favour Nzeakor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abia State

• Chibuike Ndubuisi Nwoke, University of Nigeria

• Rita Ngozi Okafor, University of Nigeria