Business

Cybercrime is Sharply Rising: What Your Business Needs to Know

Published

5 years ago

April 29, 2021

Although large corporations are routinely hit by cyberattacks, small businesses are the number one target. Hackers know small business owners don’t usually have strong cybersecurity and routinely look for vulnerabilities to exploit.

Small business vulnerabilities aren’t hard to find, so if you want to protect your business, here’s what you need to know about cybercrime.

Cybercrime becomes a bigger threat each year

Numerous sources have reported an increase in cybercrime since the start of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. These reports appear to be supported by the FBI’s 2020 Internet Crime Report. While cybercrime has been steadily rising for decades, there was a 69.4% rise between 2019 and 2020. That’s the sharpest yearly rise since the internet was born.

According to the FBI’s report, in 2020, cybercrime victims reported damages in excess of $4.2 billion resulting from phishing schemes, delivery scams, and ransomware. Considering not all incidents are reported, that’s an alarming amount of damages.

Delivery scams are growing

Although delivery scams have always been a problem, they’ve become more prevalent since the start of the pandemic. With millions of people out of work, some devised ways to cheat people out of money by selling fake goods or just not delivering on their promises.

If you’re going to buy expensive products for your business, make sure you research the company and check their reputation on review sites. For example, if you’re buying office furniture for your crew, check the furniture company’s reputation on Yelp, Google My Business, and Trustpilot. Popular companies, like BTOD, will usually have a profile available.

Don’t just make a decision based on the number of reviews or stars. Check into the negative reviews to see what happened and how the situation was resolved. For example, BTOD’s Trustpilot reviews demonstrate several instances of user error as well as the company’s willingness to make things right. Anytime a company is willing to make things right with the customer, you’re dealing with a company that has integrity.

However, if you read reviews from customers complaining about suspicious credit card charges right after making a purchase, it could be a sign of fraud or lax cybersecurity. Think twice about doing business with companies that have those types of reviews.

Why did 2020 become the biggest year for cybercrime?

There wasn’t anything exceptionally different about 2020 except for the pandemic. Cyber criminals were quick to take advantage of people’s fears surrounding the COVID-19 virus, which turned out to be fairly easy. The scams continued as more stimulus checks were being provided and people were desperate to get access to their funds as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, many people fell for stimulus check scams involving fake checks, fake processing fees, and fraudulent cash advances.

Phishing scams were big in 2020

Some scam emails appear to be legitimate upon first glance, but contain links masked to look official. In reality, those links go to a webpage set up by a scammer and are designed to steal sensitive information. Often, stolen information is made available on the dark web.

It’s surprisingly easy to fall for a phishing scam. When a person doesn’t have any reason to suspect they’re being misled by an email, they won’t always notice when a link takes them to an unofficial webpage. Being focused on the task of logging in to resolve a problem tends to keep phishing victims busy enough not to look at the URL in their browser bar.

3 Tips for securing your business from cyberattacks

Cybersecurity requires more than checking tasks off a list. Here’s what you need to keep your business secure:

Automated threat detection

Your company’s network is only secure when it’s being monitored by automated software that can identify and isolate a threat before it penetrates far into the network. Automated threat detection software will handle this important need.

A strong IT security policy with enforcement

Creating security policies is important, but the strongest policy will fail when it’s not enforced. Make sure employees know what’s expected and don’t make any exceptions. You need a strict zero tolerance policy for violations. The minute you give employees more freedom than necessary, you’re opening yourself up to the potential for a security breach.

Up-to-date software applications

Software that hasn’t been updated is vulnerable to attack. Always install updates and patches as quickly as they’re released. If you use software that is no longer supported, you may need to find a new, supported application.

Hire a cybersecurity professional

No business is immune to cyberattacks. However, you can get pretty close with tight security, especially when you hire a professional IT security team.

Business

TrueData Solutions LLC Founder Del Andujar Responds to Europe’s Growing Digital Privacy Concerns

Published

4 days ago

May 22, 2026

Matthew Wiles

For years, internet privacy discussions centered around targeted advertising, browser tracking, and social media data collection. But a new debate is beginning to reshape the cybersecurity industry entirely: identity verification laws.

Across Europe, governments and digital platforms are increasingly introducing systems that require users to verify their identity or age before accessing certain online services. Supporters argue these systems improve online safety and accountability. Critics argue they may also normalize a future where anonymity online becomes increasingly difficult.

That tension is now creating new opportunities — and new responsibilities — for cybersecurity and privacy companies worldwide.

Among the firms responding to this shift is TrueData Solutions LLC, a Wyoming-based cybersecurity company founded in 2025 by Del Andujar. The company recently announced plans to expand infrastructure and operations into Europe as digital privacy concerns continue growing throughout the region.

The expansion arrives during a particularly sensitive moment in global technology policy.

Recent discussions surrounding European age verification systems have raised broader questions about how personal identification data will be stored, protected, and potentially shared. Privacy advocates have warned that even well-intentioned verification systems can create centralized repositories of sensitive personal information that may become vulnerable to misuse or breaches.

According to reporting from Tech Policy Press, experts have increasingly expressed concern that identity verification requirements may carry privacy implications extending beyond basic data confidentiality.

For privacy-focused companies, the issue reflects a major transformation in how consumers view digital safety.

Historically, many users treated online privacy as secondary to convenience. But growing awareness around data breaches, identity theft, and public data exposure has changed public perception significantly over the last decade.

TrueData’s business model directly addresses those concerns.

The company allows individuals to search for publicly leaked information connected to themselves and assists users in opting out from data broker platforms that collect and distribute personal details online. Unlike many competitors within the cybersecurity industry, TrueData offers its primary opt-out assistance services free of charge.

That approach has become central to the company’s identity.

While many privacy services operate behind subscription paywalls, TrueData positions accessibility as part of its broader mission to help individuals regain control over their digital footprint regardless of financial barriers.

The company also provides secondary cybersecurity services such as virtual private networks designed to improve browsing security and network privacy.

As Europe continues debating digital identity enforcement policies, cybersecurity providers may increasingly become intermediaries between governments, platforms, and consumers attempting to protect their information online.

Industry observers believe the broader privacy economy could expand dramatically over the next several years as identity-linked internet systems become more common globally.

In that environment, companies focused on transparency and user trust may gain a competitive advantage over firms relying heavily on aggressive monetization strategies or opaque data practices.

For founder Del Andujar, the issue extends beyond cybersecurity trends alone. It reflects a deeper concern about whether ordinary internet users will retain meaningful control over how their information is collected, indexed, and distributed online.

As digital identity increasingly becomes tied to daily internet access, that question may soon affect nearly every user online — not just cybersecurity professionals.