Interpol highlighted in a recent report that ransomware, phishing, and online scams are among the top concerns of global law enforcement across its 195 member countries.

Interpol presented its first-ever Global Crime Trend report at its most recent general assembly meeting, which includes data received from its member countries, detailed analysis from its own data, and other sources.

The report showed that more than 60% of the surveyed respondents identified ransomware, phishing, and online scams as high or very high threats, and more than 70% expect those crimes to increase in the next three to five years.

Interpol reminds police officers worldwide that understanding how crime areas converge into complex and mutually reinforcing ways is crucial to inform collective decision-making.

“Understanding and pre-empting crime trends is an absolute bedrock of policing,” Jürgen Stock, Interpol Secretary General, said in a statement.

The report also draws a picture of the global crime landscape as seen by police officers globally.

“As police forces ramp up their efforts to combat these attacks, businesses should also carefully consider how to protect themselves against this rising threat,” Simon Jelley, ransomware expert and GM of SaaS protection at Veritas Technologies, added “Increased police focus will help to bring ransomware attackers to justice – and can sometimes help to recover a ransom that may have been paid – but it’s rare for them to be able to help return any data that has been corrupted as part of an attack. Businesses should take comfort in the police shutting down cybercriminals, but just as they insure their property against theft, they should have a backup plan in place for their data."

Interpol’s report also showed that cyber-enabled financial crimes have escalated in nearly every region of the world.

Among all the crimes listed in the report, ransomware was the second most prevalent with 66% of the respondents identified it as a high threat, and it’s the crime respondents most forecast to surge. Ransomware attacks now target “big game targets,” such as major companies, critical infrastructure, and governments, the report noted.

Ransomware attackers have shifted to tactics such as double extortion, which encrypts victims’ data or files while threatening them with public exposure. This move compounds the risks of business disruption and reputational damage, Interpol warns.