Avoiding Computer Fraud & Crimes Against You
Prevent computer fraud by understanding the types of computer crime, and viewing case histories. See how the computer fraud and abuse act supports your rights.Sorting Out Computer Fraud
* Our Technology Dependence Presents "Opportunity". In a wired world and free enterprise American market model computer fraud has become inevitable.
Computer fraud mirrors the rise in technology as individuals and businesses increasingly automate and computerize their homes and offices.
The bottom line of computer fraud concerns fraudulent access into files and databases. To the victim or security professional, computer fraud crime also reflects the management of portals or entry points into a computer or networked system.
Computer fraud can occur where access passwords may be delivered over wireless networks which the criminal can "intercept". Once a user's password or other identifying details are known, then the computer fraud and crime framework is established.
* Recent Laws Added. The computer fraud crime act of 1984 and 1986, respectively, set out some law enforcement parameters for de-limiting computer fraud case levels. However, wily compute fraud criminals have generally been quicker and more technologically "entrepreneurial" than their security counterparts.
* Sophisticated Criminals - Moving Fast Avoiding Detection. Computer fraud is difficult to police due to the lightning speed of attacks on PCs and systems by criminals. Technologically sophisticated criminal hackers can execute computer fraud, stealing data, corrupting files, placing viruses or worms inside data networks, or any combination of computer crime abuse that may reflect their criminal intent.
* No SIngle Criminal Profile To Look For. Some computer fraud criminals are more akin to ideological terrorists, who simply want to demonstrate technical prowess in a game against security systems. Other computer crime villains seek to disrupt the operations of the target company in order to create chaos and cause financial damage associated with the computer crime abuse. The last major computer fraud criminal segment are those villains who seek to plunder the financial accounts of companies and individuals, through identity theft, credit card fraud or other fraudulent acts taken at the victim's expense.
* More Consumer 'Gear' Leads To More Criminal Entries. Computer fraud and crime abuse statistics are on the rise, matching the penetration of communications technologies into our homes and businesses and cars and televisions and virtually every new class of re-designed product.
* Back Tracking Data Jungles. Law enforcement and prosecution for computer fraud requires expert forensic fraud technologists in order to "back-track" electronically through the trail left behind by the computer fraud perpetrators.
Easily stated but difficult to execute, computer fraud detection and discovery often reaches a dead end due to technology road blocks where the trail fizzles out.
* Off SHore Hackers - Difficult To Prosecute. Computer fraud and crime abuse is made even more difficult for prosecution due to the internet and potential for offshore criminal fraud origins. In these instances, computer fraud crime and abuse prosecution is now complicated by the matter of sovereignty and whether extradition orders can be served upon a foreign nationally for prosecution within the United States .
* Prevention Tips. You can prevent computer fraud crime and abuse by never sharing password information, PIN information, social security data or any other information that could be used in identity fraud for unauthorized access to your home or business PC. Additional computer fraud precautions include the careful and regular monitoring of all financial accounts, along with file checking and system security tool installation.
If you believe that you've become a computer fraud victim, then you need to rapidly secure your system. Computer fraud crime abuse can be further limited by use of encryption technologies to "lock down" files and sensitive information.
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