There were 2.5 million cyber crimes and 5.1 million frauds reported in the UK last year, the first time these offences were calculated in official estimates by the Office for National Statistics.
Put together, the two measures show a 107% increase on last year when cyber crime and fraud were not included in the estimate.
In recorded crime, violence against the person and sexual offences are also up.
Data reveals that aside from this crime has fallen by 8% from last year with an estimated 6.5 million offences – but the addional digital data suggests that hackers are a major new threat to people’s banking and personal detail
Jeff Farrar, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for crime recording and statistics, said officers were working hard to tackle the threat but warned it “presents a growing challenge”.
He said: “The ONS field trial between May and August on experiences of fraud and cyber crime demonstrates how use of new technology and the internet is changing the nature of crime in the UK.
“Cyber crime exemplifies how the demands on the police service are both changing and increasing at a time when budgets continue to be placed under significant pressure.”
Louise Pordage, Senior Manager in KPMG’s Cyber Security practice, commented: “While the figures released today may appear high, I am certain that cyber crime remains one of the most under reported areas in our crime statistics. There is little clarity around the impact of cyber crime against the UK economy, and of course the statistics released today only consider crimes against the person rather than corporate crime.
“Getting a better view of cyber crime matters to individuals, corporations and the government. It also drives home the point that we all need to consider our security online and take sensible precautions to protect ourselves.
“Our world is becoming digital and so is organised crime. The incorporation of these figures into the Crime Survey of England and Wales is a vital first step towards a more robust reporting regime for cyber crime, and an important recognition that such crimes can have every bit as much of an impact on our lives as more conventional crime.”