SEATTLE — The FBI’s Seattle field office is sounding the alarm over a rapidly escalating cybercrime crisis, unveiling a nationwide initiative called “Operation Winter Shield” aimed at equipping individuals, businesses, and organizations with the tools they need to fight back against hackers.
Cybercrime cost Washington state $368 million in 2024 alone, ranking it tenth in the nation for financial losses. The FBI says the threat is only growing. In response, the bureau is pushing a public awareness and prevention campaign to help residents and organizations stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated criminals.
“The number of victims we have had reported to us as well as the dollar losses have both tripled over the last five years,” said Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office…