More than two thirds of Australians have been affected by cyber crime, according to a survey from security software maker Norton.
This includes credit card fraud, online sexual predators and crimes involving social networking. Approximately half of Australia’s cybercrime consisted of viruses and vicious malware.
More than 7,000 Australians took part in the survey. The report found roughly half of the 7,000 Australians surveyed believed it is legal to download music or movies for free.
The Norton Cybercrime Report: The Human Aspect, said: "Cybercriminals are lurking in the places where people are downloading illegal content, and they're using those channels to distribute threats."
The survey found nearly half of Australians thought it was ok to tell online lies about their personal details, and one-third has assumed false identities.
Alistair MacGibbon from the Internet Safety Institute, said: "Everyone online is vulnerable ... you might be bulletproof when it comes to your technology but you can still be tricked."
Ensuring your anti-virus software and firewall is up to date will help protect against online fraud. However, it is also important to take precautions against scammers who are after your personal data. Never reveal your passwords to anyone and make sure you are using a secure site (the web address should start with https) before typing in any credit card details.
You can report any suspicious emails to your internet service provider and if you believe you have been the victim of a cybercrime, contact the police.