Pandemic has led to an increase in online fraud

Figures from the National Statistics Institute show that over the past twelve months some 15% of businesses in the Balearics have reported cyber security incidents. Nationally, the figure is 17%. The majority of these incidents relate to system failures which have meant that IT systems couldn't be used. For 1.1% of companies there has been disclosure of confidential information, while 6.4% have had data destroyed or corrupted.

A consequence has been that whereas 20% of companies had internal information system documentation for security procedures a year ago, 80% now have this.

For private individuals, 3.8% have been victims of theft through fraudulent use of credit and debit cards. A fifth have received fraudulent messages or have been redirected to fake websites with the intention of stealing their data. One point one per cent have suffered identity theft and 1.8% have had their social media profiles or email accounts pirated.

Alberto Fernández, a lawyer who specialises in information security, says that false invoices represent one of the biggest threats for businesses. These use previous data and appear to be authorised for payment. He also points to numerous crimes related to adverts for investing in cryptocurrency.