Ransomware scum and other crims bilked victims out of a 'staggering' $16.6B last year, says FBI Digital scammers and extortionists bilked businesses and individuals in the US out of a "staggering" $16.6 billion last year, according to the FBI — the highest losses recorded since bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) started tracking them 25 years ago. Also in 2024: Ransomware again posed the biggest threat to …
It is illegal to pay a ransom to a criminal. The FBI actively recommends that victims pay the ransom to get their data back. As soon as the FBI starts enforcing the law, people's decisions become to go to jail OR lose their data and their job. Most will choose the latter. Funds will dry up, and the ransomware industry will dry up.
people's decisions become to go to jail OR lose their data and their job
Really complicated matter. If business stops working, they don't generate revenue, and soon some CEO/lawyers may hire overseas consultants to do the restoration. Then, the responsibility will be in the consultant's hands, somewhere maybe out of the reach of FBI jurisdiction.
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