Category: Internet Crimes
Internet scams are a form of fraud, and a conviction for this type of computer crime can result in serious penalties, including years in jail. Recently, investigators uncovered a large scale phishing scam that targeted tech giants Google and Facebook. Using emailed invoices, a man was able to defraud the companies out of more than…
In an internet age, it’s startlingly easy for someone to use another person’s picture, name, or other identifying information to commit an internet crime. The term “catfishing,” which is sometimes spelled “catphishing” typically involves using someone else’s photo, name, or personal information for the purpose of luring another individual into a romantic or personal relationship….
Social media has changed just about everything about life, including the way people carry out crimes. Before the internet and social networks, committing a crime required legwork. These days, however, it’s possible to engage in crime without ever leaving the house. In some cases, people don’t realize that the activities they do online could land…
Cybercrime has become such a common term, it’s hard to believe that computer and internet crimes didn’t exist less than half a century ago. Before computers, robbing someone required breaking into their home or snatching their purse or wallet on the street. Today, people can commit these crimes without ever seeing or contacting the victim….
A recent case in which a Romanian man was sent to a federal prison for a year illustrates how aggressive cyber gaming tactics can cross a line and become a criminal offense. Last month, a federal judge sentenced hacker Calin Mateias after he launched a series of cyber attacks after he became angry in the…
Most people use the internet every day. Whether you go online for work, school, or just to connect with friends and loved ones, there’s a good chance you conduct several searches each day. In fact, Google processes more than 40,000 search queries every second of every day. The internet has also changed just about every…
Inflammatory statements on social media are part and parcel of political debate in 2017. However, in some circumstances, they can cross a grey area into potential criminality. In Texas, a Fort Worth businessman is accused of possible criminality over a Facebook page that took aim at a local police chief. The Texas Tribune reported how…
Media reports state that police in Texas have been very active in targeting online predators. Using the internet to arrange or ask for sex or sexual contact with an underage individual is a serious crime under both federal law and Texas state law. Many people view the internet as a sort of Wild Wild West,…
The question of mandatory reporting gets murkier when the alleged crime takes place online. The brutal sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl on Facebook Live in March 2017 is raising important questions about whether individuals who view a live stream of a criminal act should be held criminal responsible for failing to report it. According…
Today, young people and teenagers do more communicating online than they do in person. Parents today face a lot of challenges. Back in the day, parents had to worry about things like their children watching too much television or maybe pigging out on junk food in the middle of the night. The internet didn’t exist,…