IELTS Task 2 sample essay: Online Crime and Fraud
Problem / solutionCrime and law
The question
Crimes committed online, such as fraud and identity theft, are increasing. What are the causes of this, and what can be done to protect people?
Try writing your own answer first, then compare. Reading a model before you write tends to make you copy it.
The plan
Position: Causes: more of life is online, and crime there is low-risk and easy to scale. Solutions: stronger security by default, education, and international policing.
- Causes: banking, shopping and personal data have moved online; criminals can target millions cheaply from abroad.
- Solutions: two-step verification and bank fraud checks as standard; public education on scams; cooperation between police forces.
Model answer
292 wordsOnline crimes such as fraud and identity theft are rising rapidly. This is mainly because more of our lives and money now exist online, and because such crimes carry little risk for those who commit them. Protecting people requires better security built into services, wider public awareness and stronger international cooperation.
The first cause is simply opportunity. Banking, shopping, healthcare records and government services have moved online, so personal details and money that were once locked in buildings can now be reached through a screen. Many people, particularly older users who adopted technology late, are unfamiliar with the warning signs of fraudulent messages. The second cause is that cybercrime offers criminals high rewards for low risk. A single fraudster can send a fake message to millions of people at almost no cost, and if only a tiny fraction respond, the crime still pays. Because offenders often operate from other countries, they are rarely caught.
Several measures can protect people. Companies should make strong security the default rather than an option: two-step verification for accounts and automatic checks by banks on unusual payments stop many frauds before money is lost. Public education is equally important. Short campaigns on television and social media, teaching people never to share codes or click on unexpected links, could prevent many common scams, especially among older people. Finally, since cybercrime crosses borders, police forces need to share information and cooperate internationally, so that criminal networks can be traced and shut down.
No measure will remove online crime entirely, but each one makes it harder and less profitable.
In conclusion, cybercrime is increasing because so much of life has moved online and because criminals face little risk. Secure services, informed users and international policing together offer the best protection.
Scored by the MyBandPrep checker on 7 October 2026. An estimate, not an examiner’s mark. How scoring works
Why it works
- Task Response
- Both parts are fully answered; each measure responds to a cause (opportunity, low risk, cross-border offenders).
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Clear progression from causes to solutions, with “Finally, since…” linking the last measure back to a cause.
- Lexical Resource
- Precise topic vocabulary: “two-step verification”, “fraudulent messages”, “criminal networks”.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Wide range of accurate complex sentences, including conditionals and a colon used for explanation.
Phrases worth reusing
- high rewards for low risk
- the crime still pays
- the default rather than an option
- crosses borders
- harder and less profitable
Compare: a band 6 version
263 wordsThe same question, answered the way many essays stuck at band 6 are. Read it, then the notes below.
Nowadays, cyber crime is a big problem in the world. Many people lose their money because of online fraud and identity theft. There are many causes for this problem, and there are also some solutions.
The first cause is that many people use the internet for everything. They buy things online, they use online banking and they put their personal informations on social media. Because of this, it is very easy for criminals to steal their data. Another cause is that many people do not know about online dangers. For example, old people often click on fake emails and they give their password to criminals. Some people also use the same password for every account, so when criminals find one password they can open all accounts. Moreover, it is very difficult for police to catch online criminals because they can live in other country.
There are some solutions for this problem. Firstly, people should use strong password and they should not share it with anybody. Secondly, the government should teach people about online crime, for example on TV and in schools. Thirdly, banks and companies should make their websites more safe. Finally, police in different countries should work together to catch the criminals.
If people are more careful and the government do more, the number of online crime will decrease. Everyone has a responsibility to protect themselves on the internet.
In conclusion, online crime is increasing because people use the internet a lot and they do not know about the dangers. The government, banks and people must work together to solve this problem.
What holds it back
- Both parts are answered, but solutions are listed rather than explained, and they are not linked to the causes.
- Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, Finally: mechanical sequencing in place of developed ideas.
- Grammar slips that recur: “informations”, “in other country”, “strong password”, “more safe”, “the government do”, “the number of online crime”.
- Plain, repetitive vocabulary (“online”, “people”, “problem”) and a generic opener.
Now write your own
Answer this question in 40 minutes and get an estimated band with the sentences to fix.