This week is Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 May), which was founded by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago. With a large percentage of our time now spent online, the Internet has a massive impact on our mental wellbeing. As a result, falling victim to cybercrime or online scams can be an incredibly distressing experience.
According to the Open University: “while the negative impact of online fraud on the victims might appear to be solely financial, a study by Button et al. (2014) found that in addition to financial hardship, some victims might experience negative effects on their mental health, physical health and personal relationships.
The literature has identified the following consequences on cyber-victimisation:
- Social withdrawal/anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Obsessive behaviours
- Loss of confidence
- Reduction in self-esteem.”