Common Types of Cybercrime

 Posted on March 30, 2016 in Criminal Law

There are several different types of cybercrime that continue to plague our society, and while they may seem removed from everyday lives, because of the anonymous nature of the crime, they are in no way victimless offenses.

One of the most common types of cybercrime is identity theft. This can happen in several ways, from a stolen credit card number which is then used to make fraudulent online purchases, to someone breaking into an email or other sensitive account in which important passwords or other identifying information was kept.

Other common types of cybercrime include cyber-bullying, email spam, the dissemination of illegal content, online sexual abuse, and general online scams.

One of the scariest and most difficult aspects of cybercrime to manage is the fact that it is perpetrated against all types of people from all socioeconomic and technological backgrounds—they are often even perpetrated against large businesses. That is, if a person’s credit card is stolen and he or she reports the transactions as fraudulent, the business from which the fraudulent purchase was made will often have to compensate for the loss.

In 2011, the online revenue losses resulting from fraudulent transactions alone were estimated to total $3.4 billion—up significantly from $2.7 billion the previous year.

The theft of intellectual property is another common type of cybercrime, and one that is particularly difficult to prosecute. This is mainly because the laws governing intellectual property and fair use are murky at best, and can become even murkier when one takes into consideration the fact that so much of our current national intellectual dialectic is one that thrives on the free exchange of ideas and information. If, however, a person can prove that his or her intellectual property was in fact stolen and was not authorized under current fair use laws, this is a punishable cybercrime offense.

If you or someone you know has been accused of a cybercrime, despite how small or insignificant it may initially feel, the most important first step is to seek legal counsel. Please contact an experienced DuPage County criminal defense attorney today to discuss your case and your rights. Call 630-260-9647.

Sources:

https://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/ForensicAndValuation/Resources/ElectronicDataAnalysis/DownloadableDocuments/Top-5-CyberCrimes.pdf

https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/cyber