Experience shows that along with its many benefits, the internet is also an ideal breeding ground for cyber crime. The toxic mix of anonymity and a vast audience is profitable for those with criminal intent. The growing consumer interest in spending money over the internet is only adding fuel to the fire.

Online spend grew 12.6% from 2015 to 2016, with expectations that national spending will approach £70 billion in 2017 [Retail Research]. Concurrently, the cost of online scams is rising: Action Fraud claims fraud and cyber crime cost the UK nearly £11bn in 2015/16. However, not all incidences are reported – the true cost could be much higher.

Cyber crime covers a wide range of offences, from online abuse, financial fraud, online shopping scams and hacking to the growing occurrence of so-called romance fraud.

The last refers to an overseas ‘lover’ asking for money, whether for flights or other needs, and the number of victims hit an all-time high in 2016: almost 4,000 people paid out over £39m [National Fraud Intelligence Bureau].

With the rise of digital devices and infiltration of data networks in our lives, it’s easy to understand why the cost and prevalence of online scams are growing. Thankfully, national efforts in prevention and prosecution have increased too.

Just last month, the City of London confirmed plans for a new court complex to focus on fraud and cyber crime, both currently at “epidemic proportions” according to Sir Tom Winsor, Chief Inspector for Constabulary for England and Wales in an interview on BBC Radio Four.

This is supported by the work of Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre. This Government-funded body provides guidance to those who have been caught out and share warnings on current threats.

There is plenty of media attention to add to the mix, with high profile cyber attacks inciting an atmosphere of fear, but is this translating into better protections by the individual? Unfortunately, probably not.

The research from get Safe Online and Action Fraud is stark: 42% of Britons use the same password for multiple accounts, 23% never update their privacy settings on social media, and 12% don’t change passwords even when their company asks them to.

Alarmingly, of people who have already been victims of cyber crime, over a third thought nothing could be done.

That isn’t to say there is a shortage of advice on protective actions, including updating software and passwords, researching common scams and treating all online communication with caution. Fundamentally, the crucial change is one of attitude.

We can no longer afford to be ambivalent about the risks associated with using the internet, and must learn to own our vulnerabilities as a pivotal part in the rising crime rate.

Part of this is understanding why we fall foul of online criminals when physical aggression is taken out of the equation. Research into the issue has revealed that social engineering is often at the root.

We tend to pay more attention to information that supports our existing beliefs thus ignore the warning signs, or else we are preyed upon in moments of desperation or distraction.

Scammers promote a sense of urgency and often have detailed information about us, fostering a false impression of authenticity.

Older and younger people, or those with cognitive impairments, are easy targets, but we are all vulnerable for our innate kindness and an over-confidence in our judgement. We harbour a desire to please, stay out of trouble and grab a bargain, thus we fall prey.

Having an awareness of these vulnerabilities could help increase awareness of the potential for abuse, and hopefully improve our safe responses.

Try telling someone else about anything you are unsure about – sharing removes the emotional reaction and could help you think more clearly. It is also worthwhile identifying your own vulnerable attributes so you can be sensitive to attempts to infiltrate your systems.

Cyber scams and fraud happen almost constantly; you are now 20 times more likely to be robbed at your computer than in real life [Crime Survey of England and Wales].

As we move closer to Christmas, it seems likely that criminals will maximise their opportunity to manipulate your last minute shopping rush.

We must all get tougher: be vigilant, be alert and be sceptical about everything that arrives in your inbox. Guard your assets carefully and take all steps to protect yourself, even if it seems unnecessary.

We needn’t feel powerless to protect ourselves from cyber crime. There are no prizes for staying safe, but the cost of not doing so is too high a risk.

Simon McCalla is CTO of Nominet.