Value of cyber crimes up, FBI says

WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- The FBI received more than 200,000 complaints about Internet crime in 2007, the bureau reported.

The total -- 206,884 complaints -- is down slightly but the $240 million taken with digital crimes was a record, $40 million above 2006, the bureau said in a report Thursday.

"The Internet provides a wealth of opportunity for would-be criminals to prey on unsuspecting victims," FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director James E. Finch said.

Auction fraud was the most frequent complaint. Non-delivery of purchases, credit/debit card fraud, computer intrusions and child pornography were also frequent.

The FBI report includes pets and romance in the fraud categories.

Pet scams include purchased pets that never arrive.

Romance scams include one party pleading poverty and asking for travel expenses to get together with the other.