Cybercrime is an issue that is growing in prevalence. The problem is one that has reached global proportions and the issue can be tied directly back to advancements in technology. Technological advancements have changed the way that society lives. People can shop, obtain an education, pay bills, and even work without ever leaving their homes. The Internet is the most heavily impactful technological advancement and while many benefits have come from its creation, there is also a downside. That downside is cybercrime. Cybercrime enables criminals to extend the reach of their criminal behavior, all while remaining virtually anonymous. Cybercrime is a major point of concern and focus in criminal justice organizations around the world.
There are a variety of scams that are associated with cybercrime. Examples include identity theft, credit card fraud, overpayment fraud, auction fraud, advanced fee fraud, and various other computer crimes. The profile for a cybercriminal is hard to pin down due to the ambiguity that the Internet provides. From a psychological perspective, cyber criminals have some measure of technical knowledge, a high tolerance and need to take risks, a disregard for law or rationalization of laws, and a motive for committing crime.
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Penalties for committing cybercrimes are becoming harsher. They can range from a class B misdemeanor punishable by six months in prison and a fine, to a class B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Law enforcement agencies acorss the globe have created specialized departments and tasks forces that allow them to use technology and intelligence led methods to track and combat cybercrime. One method is via computer forensics. Computer forensics aids law enforcement in gathering the evidence needed to prosecute those who use technology to engage in criminal behavior. Traps or “Honeypots” are important forensic tools. It is basically a lure for those who wish to engage in cybercrime activity such as the credit card fraud and online bank fraud.
Cybercrime is the crime category of modern times. While law enforcement often finds itself struggling to catch up with the every changing method by which cybercriminals engage in criminal behavior, great strides have been made in the effort. It is known widely known and accepted that cybercrime is on the rise and deserves specific attention. As long as this attention is always played and innovative approaches to combating it created, there is hope for minimizing the impact of cybercrime.