Watching a friend fall victim to a cybercrime scam motivated Vancouver Island University (VIU) Psychology student Cala Annala to research how this can impact mental health.
"I realized the social implications of that, how there's a lot of victim blaming and not a whole lot of support," said Annala. "I became interested in the effects that it has on people."
She is looking for Canadians who have been victims of cybercrime to complete an online survey that asks them how the experience has impacted their mental health and well-being. Annala said a lot of research focuses on the many ways that this type of crime is committed, but there is little research in Canada regarding support services for victims, compared to what is documented in Europe.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's 2022 Annual Report Executive Summary states that fraud is becoming more personal and that victims are not just losing money or information but are also exposed to situations of psychological and emotional harm.
The Competition Bureau Canada reports Canadians lost more than $638 million to fraud in 2024. It goes on to state that only 5% to 10% of frauds are reported, and most are cybercrime related.
There are many ways cybercrime targets internet users. For Annala's study, cybercrime is defined as any form of crime that occurs using information or communication technology.
"That can include financially motivated crimes, fraud, phishing, identity theft, extortion and things like personal harassment or stalking," she said.
Some victims may experience emotional distress, including depression, anxiety, shame and embarrassment, which can manifest in negative impacts on mental well-being.
Annala hopes this study will draw more awareness and attention to the psychological aspects of the impacts of cybercrime.
"If someone has experienced this type of crime, we need to assist in their recovery and identify areas where we can build supports or programs to help victims."
Supervising professor Dr. Melanie O'Neill stated that the individual and familial impacts of cybercrime can be profound, and she expects Annala's honour's research to provide critical information on this understudied topic.
