Internet/computer crimes
Although the Internet has made life easier in many ways, it’s smart to be concerned about Internet crimes. Computer crime is becoming a growing problem for law enforcement officials around the world. Unfortunately, since Internet crimes typically involve people from many different geographic areas, catching and punishing the guilty parties is a difficult task.
One of the most common types of Internet crime is identity theft. This crime involves unscrupulous individuals who attempt to steal your personal information for financial gain. They may empty your bank account, run up unauthorized credit card charges, or open new accounts in your name and never pay the bills that result. Identity theft Internet crimes are often accomplished through phishing or spoofing, the practice of creating fake websites or e-mail messages that trick the victim into divulging personal information. Certain computer viruses may also be used to harvest personal information for identity theft crimes.
Employment or business opportunity Internet scams that pray on the desires of financially desperate individuals are becoming increasingly popular as well. These Internet crimes may involve asking the victim to illegally reship merchandise to overseas locations, make fraudulent wire transfers, or advertise non-existent merchandise for sale on behalf of a third party. Generally, if you see an advertisement promising large monetary rewards for a minimal amount of effort, it’s smart to be cautious. It is possible to make money online, but legitimate business opportunities require a substantial investment of your time and skill.
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is a type of Internet crime that is of particular concern for teenagers and young adults. Social networking websites such as MySpace or Facebook make it very easy for criminals to learn private details about a victim’s hobbies, interests, friends, family and daily schedule. Cyberstalking Internet crimes may also lead to sexual assault if the perpetrator is able to convince the victim to appear for a personal meeting.
To prevent yourself from becoming victim of Internet crimes, it’s important to remain alert when using your computer. Never give out personal information such as your full name, birth date, address, or Social Security number unless you understand what the information will be used for. In addition, remember that people you meet online may not always be representing themselves truthfully. Be suspicious of claims that seem exaggerated or hard to verify.
If you believe you are a victim of Internet crime, the best course of action is to file a formal complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Also known as IC3, this organization is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. IC3 works with federal, state, local, and international law enforcement agencies to identify patterns in Internet crimes.
IC3
Since its inception, the IC3 has received complaints crossing the spectrum of cyber crime matters, to include online fraud in its many forms including intellectual property rights (IPR) matters, computer intrusions (hacking), economic espionage (theft of trade secrets), online extortion, international money laundering, identity theft, and a growing list of Internet facilitated crimes. Since June 2000, it has become increasingly evident that, regardless of the label placed on a cyber crime matter, the potential for it to overlap with another referred matter is substantial. Therefore, the IC3, formerly known as the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (Internet Fraud Complaint Center), was renamed in October 2003 to better reflect the broad character of such matters having an Internet, or cyber, nexus referred to the IC3, and to minimize the need for one to distinguish “Internet Fraud” from other potentially overlapping cyber crimes.
IC3 mission statement
IC3’s mission is to serve as a vehicle to receive, develop and refer criminal complaints regarding the rapidly expanding arena of cyber crime. The IC3 gives the victims of cyber crime a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations. For law enforcement and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, local, and international level, IC3 provides a central referral mechanism for complaints involving Internet related crimes.
Significant and supplemental to partnering with law enforcement and regulatory agencies, it will remain a priority objective of the IC3 to establish effective alliances with industry. Such alliances will enable the IC3 to leverage both intelligence and subject matter expert resources, pivotal in identifying and in crafting an aggressive, proactive approach to combating cyber crime.
