Cybercrimes have become more frequent and criminals are more conniving than ever, attacking unsuspecting victims in more ways that we can count. In an effort to deal with cybercrimes, law enforcement agencies have responded in a variety of ways.
Read below the break to learn how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and local police agencies handle this serious and growing issue.
Federal Bureau of Investigation: On Track to Fight Cybercrime
The FBI has been dealing with identity theft and cyber criminals for decades now, but as the threats become more pervasive and online scams get more sophisticated, they are continually forced to expand their response methods. The FBI uses its vast online resources and intelligence capabilities to identify cyber criminals, and do everything they can to stop them in their tracks.
The FBI also has a dedicated Cyber Division that is devoted to addressing cybercrime, and cyber squads receive special training at both the main FBI headquarters and its 56 field offices to deal with this serious issue. In addition, the FBI’s Cyber Action Teams travel worldwide to assist with computer hacking crimes, and over 90 Computer Crimes Task Forces work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime.
The Federal Trade Commission: Helping Victims Report Identity Theft
According to LifeLock, the FTC stays especially busy working with taxpayers who have had their identity stolen. Specifically, the FTC has seen a 2,300 percent increase in the number of recorded complaints about cyber criminals pretending to be IRS agents. In all, victims have lost more than $14 million from this type of scam.
The FTC is increasingly devoted to educating the general public. They do this by helping consumers avoid fraudulent business practices including cybercrime, as well as helping people identify instances when they've fallen victim to identity theft. To assist identity theft victims in reporting and recovering from cybercrime, the FTC recently launched a new resource, IdentityTheft.gov.
The new website features an interactive checklist that instructs victims of cybercrimes on what they need to do after discovering their identity has been stolen. The site also features tips on recovering from specific types of identity theft, including medical and tax-related theft. The new site is also available in Spanish, and provides sample letters that victims can print out and send to debit and credit card companies, along with the three major credit bureaus.
The new website features an interactive checklist that instructs victims of cybercrimes on what they need to do after discovering their identity has been stolen. The site also features tips on recovering from specific types of identity theft, including medical and tax-related theft. The new site is also available in Spanish, and provides sample letters that victims can print out and send to debit and credit card companies, along with the three major credit bureaus.
Local Law Enforcement: Working to Improve Protection
As the Huffington Post notes, local police departments typically rely on the cybercrime experts within the federal government when helping victims of identity theft. Although the victims may live within their jurisdiction, their bank accounts might be in another state and the cyber criminals might live overseas — all factors that can complicate how local officials can respond.
In order to help their residents and respond to cybercrime as effectively as possible, many police departments are expanding their staff's knowledge on this topic. In fact, since 2008, the Secret Service has trained around 1,400 state and local police officers on cybercrimes, and the demand for this training only continues to increase.