According to a new study released by Symantec consumer division Norton, as many as 70 percent Internet users in Singapore have, at some time or the other, fallen victim to cyber-crime – in the form of computer malwares, online credit card scam, or identity thefts.

More specifically, almost 50 percent of the Singaporean cyber-crime victims have fallen prey to computer viruses; 17 percent of them have been a victim of online scams; 10 percent have been affected by phishing; and 8 percent have fallen prey to credit card fraud.

About the emotional impact of cyber-crime on the victims, the study revealed that nearly 58 percent of the Singaporean victims expressed anger; 51 percent felt frustrated; and 45 percent felt cheated.

The study also found that in spite of the widespread prevalence of cyber-crime, most victims largely remain silent about the problem resolving which costs them both time and money. Nearly 71 percent of the cyber-crime victims are of the opinion that cyber-criminals cannot be caught.

Commenting on the situation, Symantec’s head of consumer business, Effendy Ibrahim, said: “People don't really talk about it. People don't really report it. Because the way the cyber-criminals work today is they steal very little amounts from you such that that you don't feel the loss. When you don't feel the loss, you say, 'Well, I'd let it go. I won't report it to the authorities'. So there's a lot of cyber-crime going on around us that goes unreported.”