A recent study conducted by cyber security experts, CloudTech24, has identified the regions in England and Wales that are most vulnerable to cybercrime.
The analysis, based on data from the National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, aims to determine which areas reported the highest levels of cybercrime per 10,000 individuals.
According to the study, Greater Manchester emerged as the region most susceptible to cybercrime. Over the past 13 months, Greater Manchester received 1,803 cybercrime reports, translating to approximately 6.33 reports per 10,000 people. The most frequently reported cybercrimes in this area involved the hacking of personal information and social media or email accounts.
Kent ranked second on the list, with 1,066 reported cybercrimes during the study period, equivalent to about 5.71 reports per 10,000 individuals. Approximately half of these reports were related to the hacking of social media and email accounts.
The Metropolitan Police area, which includes Greater London, secured the third position. Within the past 13 months, the Metropolitan Police received 5,036 cybercrime reports, averaging around 5.60 reports per 10,000 people.
Similar to the other regions, the hacking of social media and email accounts, as well as the hacking of personal information, were the most commonly reported cybercrimes, followed by cases involving computer viruses or malware.
In fourth place was the Bedfordshire area, with Bedfordshire Police handling 376 cybercrime reports during the study period. This figure corresponds to approximately 5.51 reports per 10,000 individuals. The majority of reports in this area pertained to the hacking of social media and email accounts.
Completing the top five was the Hertfordshire area, which recorded 648 cybercrime reports in the past 13 months, translating to 5.42 reports per 10,000 people. The most prevalent reports in this region involved the hacking of social media and email accounts, followed by cases of computer viruses or malware.
CloudTech24 spokesperson commented on the findings, noting the widespread impact of cybercrime across various regions in the country.
The spokesperson emphasized that regardless of location, everyone is susceptible to cyber threats. The data highlighted the hacking of social media and email accounts as the most common type of cybercrime, underscoring the importance of vigilance against online threats in both personal and professional contexts.
Here’s the table showing top 10 areas with the most cybercrimes in England and Wales:
| Rank | Police Force (area) | Population | Cybercrimes Reported | Cybercrimes per 10,000 people |
| 1 | Greater Manchester | 2,848,300 | 1,803 | 6.33 |
| 2 | Kent | 1,868,200 | 1,066 | 5.71 |
| 3 | Metropolitan Police | 8,991,600 | 5,036 | 5.60 |
| 4 | Bedfordshire | 682,300 | 376 | 5.51 |
| 5 | Hertfordshire | 1,195,700 | 648 | 5.42 |
| 6 | Hampshire | 1,999,100 | 1,080 | 5.40 |
| 7 | Northamptonshire | 757,200 | 408 | 5.39 |
| 8 | Nottinghamshire | 1,170,500 | 609 | 5.20 |
| 9 | Sussex | 1,718,200 | 833 | 4.85 |
| 10 | Dorset | 776,800 | 376 | 4.84 |
