Vehicle thefts nationwide surpassed 1 million last year. This was a 7% increase over 2021 numbers and the first time thefts reached that total since 2008, according to a new analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

Cybercriminals continue to become more sophisticated, leveraging a wide range of tactics to attack their victims. One tactic that has increased in frequency, complexity and resulting losses over the past few years is the use of business email compromise (BEC) scams.

A catalytic converter is a device found in vehicles’ exhaust systems that converts environmentally hazardous exhaust into less harmful gasses. Though catalytic converters have been installed in every new vehicle since 1975, theft of these devices has skyrocketed in recent years due to the highly valuable precious metals they contain.