Högskolan i Skövde

Cybercrime victimization is a pervasive and evolving threat in the digital age, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its underlying dynamics and risk factors. This cross-sectional study explores the prevalence and risk factors of cybercrime victimization among Swedish adults, drawing insights from a diverse sample of 384 participants. The study examines demographic characteristics, educational backgrounds, financial circumstances, computer skills, protective measures, and victimization experiences through a combination of descriptive statistics, Fisher’s Exact Test, and logistic regression analysis. Key findings reveal significant correlations between gender, age, education level, income, computer skills, protective measures, and specific types of cybercrime victimization. Malware infection emerges as the most prevalent form of victimization, followed by sexual harassment, hacking, general harassment, and fraud. The study highlights the complex interplay between socioeconomic factors and victimization risk, and emphasizes the need for tailored interventions to enhance digital resilience and mitigate cybervictimization threats among Swedish adults. Future research directions include conducting larger-scale studies, exploring the effectiveness of protective measures, investigating polyvictimization, and examining age-related differences in cybercrime vulnerability.