13.4: Cybercrime
- Page ID
- 69669
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- iPhone
- TikTok
- Spotify
- Smartwatch
- Wi-Fi
- Shein
- Hospitals
- Subway Rewards
- Chick-Fil-A App
- This class
What do they all have in common? They all have your personal information in some form or fashion stored somewhere digitally in a “secure” location. Oh sure, they say it’s “safe,” but is it? At any given moment, someone is trying to get into the sensitive areas of every one of those places to attempt to take the personal information that you have entered and steal your identity for the purposes of an illegal act. They will then sell it to whoever will buy it, and that individual will create a persona using your information to open credit cards and bank accounts, make purchases, and ruin your good credit and reputation that you have worked so hard for. And all these criminals need to do it are a computer and an Internet connection. Welcome to the Age of Cybercrime.
Technological advancements have drastically changed the way we live our lives. New tools and technologies can make life easier, but they can also create new opportunities for harm and victimization. Not only is it challenging for the law to keep up with these changes, but the field of criminology must adapt and evolve as well.
Cybercrime is an umbrella term that refers to essentially all crime that is committed via the internet or with the use of computers. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities improve and become harder to detect, issues such as deep-fake videos that impose someone’s likeness onto an existing video may change the way fraud, identity theft, blackmail, and more are committed. Although internet and mobile phone connectivity varies across the globe and is especially lacking in developing countries, 95% of the world’s population has mobile broadband network coverage and 63% are using the internet (International Telecommunications Union, 2022). The expansion of these network connections makes it easier for organized crime groups to facilitate the trafficking of drugs, people, guns, and other contraband.
Technological advancements, the Internet, and our willingness to be open and free with the sharing of our personal information makes it that much easier for criminals to take advantage of the large amount of data that is out there, ripe for the taking. But criminals aren’t the only ones using our information for nefarious things. Corporations, advertising and marketing firms, and even governments use the same information we provide to tailor experiences and goods and services based on our everyday activities.
The Evolution of Cybercrime
As the Internet became more of a “thing” and people became more connected with each other through their digital personalities, the opportunities for crime also exponentially increased. As mentioned earlier, the crimes did not change, just the means by which they were committed. Robbery and theft no longer had to be face-to-face. They could be perpetrated simply by using a bit of code and a phone line connection to the Internet. Thieves didn’t have to physically be in the building to steal anything of value if they had the means to get past the online security.
Electronic mail (E-mail) and Texting have morphed into new communication services that criminals are using to defraud would-be victims. Phishing and Smishing are new methods of information gathering that are illegal and can trick a person into thinking that they are interacting with legitimate service providers; unbeknownst to them, they are being preyed upon by identity thieves.
Cybercrimes also include bullying and harassing messages sent through social media and other digital platforms. They can also include cyberstalking, as well as many others. Some other common cybercrimes include:
- Ransomware – personal data is encrypted and unusable until a payment is made to gain access.
- Hacking – unauthorized use electronic equipment for the sole purpose of gaining access to restricted information.
- Fraud – bank theft, misuse of personal information, theft of services.
- Software Piracy – illegal possession of software by a violation of copyright or license restrictions.
- Cyber Extortion – threats/digital blackmail where ransom is demanded so as not to harm the victim’s data or system (e.g., DDOS (Direct Denial of Service), doxxing).
Cybercrimes and the Criminal Justice System
There really isn’t much to say about cybercrimes when it comes to the criminal justice system. As mentioned before, crimes do not change, just the method of how they are committed. The real problem is how they are investigated and apprehended. Law enforcement agencies now must get creative in their investigative practices because cyber criminals are much more “tech savvy” in their approach to crime. Special teams need to be created to attempt to track these violators who are experienced in the same methods the criminals are using to commit their crimes. Computer programmers, computer scientists, financial experts, forensic accountants, social media consultants, etc. are all being utilized to stay up-to-date with all the new ways in which criminals are carrying out their schemes.
Criminologists will continue to research how to detect these threats, the impact of cybercrime victimization, and practical investigative practices for identifying and catching people engaged in cybercrime. This topic is forever and fast-changing as our technologies grow and change.