Cyber crime is prevalent during the holiday season. Somehow, people are more vulnerable to join scams and be victims of cyber crimes online.
In this article, let us look at what constitutes cyber crime in Michigan and what you should know about it.
According to law enforcement websites, any kind of malicious activity that goes on all over the internet or the cyber world that threatens public safety and economic security is considered a cybercrime. The jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies has now been expanded to cover not just crimes that happen in the physical world but crimes that happened in the online world.
To properly prosecute a cybercrime there is a need to define the kind of crime that it is and to be included in the legislation.
What Are The Common Crimes Committed Online?
There are a lot of cybercrimes that are committed online and we cannot discuss them all in a single article. With that, let us look at some of the available crimes that you should look at when you are considering cybercrime.
Business Email Compromise (BEC)
One of the most common scams in the United States today is targeting business emails and even personal ones. This is considered the most financially damaging crime online.
A BEC is also known as the email account compromise (EAC). It is a high risk especially during the height of the pandemic when everyone was in a work from home setup.
For a BEC to work, the scammers or the criminals will send an email as if it came from a legitimate source. It would then ask for information, personal and sensitive, to the recipient to confirm the transaction.
In another form, the scammer may ask someone to wire money in another fund for a purchase he did online. There are different versions of this but there are also real victims.
The scammers use real-like email accounts and phishing emails. The recipient would then be confused or think that they have the right email account.
Identity Theft
The next financially damaging kind of cybercrime is identity theft. According to the FBI website, there is identity theft when “someone uses your identity in a crime or fraudulent act.” It can happen anytime and may occur regularly with the victim not knowing that he has already been the victim of identity theft.
Most of the identity theft that has occurred lately is because of data breaches. When personal information is hacked and leaked online, identity thieves may use the data they gathered about a person to claim social security, open an account, and open a credit card under the name of the victim.
Ransomware
There is also ransomware. The FBI website describes this as “a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay ransom for their return.”
This is modern-day kidnapping of your files, your systems, your networks, and your information. In return for releasing the information back to you, the hacker would require you to pay a specific amount.
There are a couple of ways that you can get ransomware on your computer. The following are the ways:
- It can get on your computer when you open an email attachment. This is why you must stay away from emails and email attachments that do not come from people you know.
- When you click on an ad, there could also be ransomware that is attached to the ad.
- When you follow a link or a website, there could also be ransomware. This is why a lot of websites put a safe pop up where they ask you if you trust the sender of the link or the link itself.
Spoofing and Phishing
Spoofing and Phishing are two of the most important parts of BEC. By definition, there is spoofing when someone disguises an email address, the sender name, the phone number, and the website URL to convince the victim that they are talking to a trusted source.
There is phishing when individuals email you to lure you in and get you to disclose your personal information. Once you click on the link they provided, you will think that you are at the right email address and you will trust the website.
Online Predators
Perhaps the most devastating cybercrime is the one that is not about money or finances, it is about the safety of children on the internet.
Cyber Crimes Are Under FBI Jurisdiction
It is important to note that cybercrimes are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As such, they exercise national jurisdiction over the prosecution of these crimes and we can expect that they will have no problem dealing with jurisdictional issues.
Defending Cyber Crime Prosecution
Now that you know the prosecution of cybercrime is on a federal level it is important to know that you also have a team that can help you out with your specific needs. Our law firm is dedicated to making sure that those who are innocent will be protected by the law and the full extent of justice will be used.
Disclaimer
The article that you have read is based on general applications of the law. It is not legal advice and it is not to be construed as any legal consultation with the firm. No client-attorney relationship is created when you read the articles we have provided.
Let us help you out
If you have been injured in an intersection accident, you can call us today. If you have been charged with domestic violence, call us immediately. If you have any problem with the law or are seeking justice and truth, our numbers are standing by to take your call.
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