Cybercrime and fraud rates rise in Philippines and Ireland surveys

Recent surveys in the Philippines and Ireland reveal diverging trends in crime victimization. In the Philippines, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll indicates that while common crimes such as property theft, street robbery, and carnapping have decreased between March and June 2026, cybercrime victimization has risen. Specifically, cybercrime incidents increased from 5.8 percent to 8.0 percent nationally, with significant spikes reported in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. The Philippine National Police has acknowledged these results, stating they will not become complacent.

In Ireland, Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows that personal crime victimization nearly doubled between 2019 and 2025, reaching 19 percent. Fraud has also seen a significant increase, affecting 11 percent of respondents in 2025 compared to 4 percent in 2019. A notable trend in Ireland is the declining rate of crime reporting; approximately 70 percent of personal crime victims did not report incidents to An Garda Síochána, often citing the perceived inability or reluctance of authorities to take action as a primary reason.