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Internet Crime Statistics
The use of the Internet has evolved greatly over the past five years. We frequently use social media to interact with our family and friends. During the long Thanksgiving weekend, we are likely going to use the Internet to go ahead and pay for our Holiday gifts for our loved ones. Even though the use of the Internet is typically harmless, there is always a possibility of having to deal with an Internet crime, which can negatively impact the lives of both the offender and the person affected by the crime.
Statistics on Stolen Information Over the Internet
In 2013, about 7 percent of American organizations lost over $1 million from an Internet crime. 19 percent of all American organizations lost at least $500,000 as a result of an Internet crime. For individuals, there was an average loss of $3,000 per Internet crime complaint and a total loss of over $781 million in the same year. Here is a breakdown of the losses:
Credit Identity Theft Liability: Who is Held Responsible for Losses?
Whether someone discovers a credit card account has been opened up under their name that they never applied for, or find out their card number has been stolen and used for purchases they never authorized, dealing with any form of credit card identity theft is very troublesome for victims. It can be especially upsetting when the theft is discovered later on, after some time has passed, as the crime has, at that point, had time to accumulate and wreak significant damage on the victim’s credit report and accounts.
How Does Loss Liability Work?
Credit card crimes are not only distressing for the victim, they also wield the power to severely damage the reputation and livelihood of those found responsible for the acts, as they are seriously prosecuted under federal law.The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends victims of credit card theft report the crime immediately, as The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) offer a certain amount of protection. For example, under the FCBA, victims of fraudulent charges are only held liable for up to $50 in charges. For fraudulent transfers, however, the longer the victim waits to report the theft, the greater the risk they will be held liable for the loss - money they can never get back.
How Common Is Credit Card Fraud during the Holiday Season?
The holidays are just around the corner, and people are now starting to plan their holiday shopping strategies. Since shopping has become much more popular on the Internet, many people are resorting to purchasing their holiday gifts online. This has become so common, that people are not always aware of what could be at stake with their credit card. Far too often credit cards are compromised because of hacking activities on the other side. There are many people affected by credit card fraud, and the numbers keep increasing with the massive use of the Internet.
“Friendly Fraud” and Its Consequences
Also called a chargeback, friendly fraud happens when a consumer purchases a product online or on the phone and he or she receives the product ordered, plus a refund from that person’s bank. Since people receiving refunds from their bank tend to use that money with no thought about being scammed, friendly fraud has grown significantly.
Drug Trafficking Statistics
In Illinois and the United States, drugs have always been a societal problem. Even though drugs still negatively affect many lives today, there has been a massive change in the use of drugs over the past several years. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), there has been a sharp increase in drug seizures for certain types of drugs, and a decrease in other types.
Overview of Drug Arrests in the United States
The number of arrests made for the use of drugs has slightly increased from 2006 to 2015. As of now, there is no supporting data for the years 2016 and 2017. For the years 2007 and 2008, the number of arrests has decreased, but then the number has gone up in 2009 and has stayed around the same number.
- In 2006, there was a total of 30,691 arrests for drug use;
- In 2008, there were 28,607 arrests;
- In 2011, there was a total of 32,530 arrests; and
What Are the Consequences of Committing a Hate Crime in Illinois?
Over the past few years, hate crimes have been considered one of the biggest issues faced by society and have been a major topic on social media. There are several different forms of hate crimes that can be committed, as many different groups may be targeted. Nevertheless, the act of committing a hate crime is very serious, leading to many unwanted penalties.
Hate Crime Statistics
A hate crime is defined as when a specific demographic is selected as a target for certain types of crimes. The demographics could include people of a different race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.
In 2011, there were 6,222 hate crime incidents reported, with almost 21 percent of those crimes motivated by sexual orientation. Even though marriage within the LGBT community has been made legal for over two years, the discrimination of community members remains a problem in the present day.
Phishing, Consequences, and Real Examples
Many people have heard of the word “phishing” before, but not a lot of people fully understand what the term means. Phishing is a federal crime that can and will come with serious consequences, and action must be taken if you or a loved one has been accused of this offense. The crime is a form of identity theft that can change the person’s quality of life in a negative manner.
What Constitutes as Phishing?
Phishing is defined as the act of posing as a true and legitimate company or government agency in an email, Web page, or other means of Internet communication. The “company” will do this to get the recipient of the message to offer his or her personal information. The information that the “company” may go after may include the following:
- Social security number;
- Driver’s license number;
- Bank account number;
What Happens if You Are Charged with Mortgage or Student Loan Fraud
There are many times in a person’s life where he or she will need to repay student loans, credit card debts, and/or a mortgage. Even though some of these events, such as buying a home, can be a very exciting time in a person’s life, there are, unfortunately, several incidents where money is lost, and you are charged with fraud.
What Are Some Popular Complaints of Fraud?
Fraud is defined as unlawful deception for the person committing the act to benefit financially. The person or company committing fraud may appear highly respected and reputable. In 2016, the biggest consumer complaint included consumer debt, such as mortgage lending, abusive debt collection practices, and student loan services.
The Student Loan Crisis
The student loan crisis is becoming a bigger issue than ever before. With over 40 million Americans with at least a combined $1.4 trillion in student loan debt, there is an increase in loan service providers that provide inaccurate information and for-profit institutions that provide degrees of no value. Many for-profit institutions have greatly misrepresented to prospective students, such as giving false information about the true cost of education and expectations on job placement after college graduation.
The Internet and Illegal Drug Distribution
Chicago has been listed as one of the seven major cities that have continuously had major drug problems and seizures. The other cities include: Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, and Tucson. To this day, crack/cocaine is the biggest drug threat to the City of Chicago, even though heroin has spread through its neighborhoods. One may think that the only way to acquire illegal drugs is on the streets. However, with the Internet revolutionizing society and how people interact with each other, drug dealers have come up with a distribution system that has attracted many users, called Silk Road.
What Is Silk Road?
Silk Road is the main online site for illegal drug distribution that appeared in 2011. Drug users can use Silk Road to anonymously buy and sell drugs, as to increase the probability of avoiding any kind of detection by law enforcement. The buyer and seller can meet virtually, therefore maintaining less travel expenses, and transactions are typically used by Bitcoins. All products are mailed to the recipient, and Silk Road has a value of over $20 million. There are often online discussions on how to avoid law enforcement detection, as well to rate the distributor and products.
Child Sexual Abuse FAQs
Going through sexual abuse at any age can be traumatic and emotionally disheartening. However, if the person affected is a child, or a minor under the age of 18, the effect of child sexual abuse can be extremely damaging. Moreover, the individual accused of performing such acts may face serious and lasting consequences.
Facts that One May Not Know about Child Sexual Abuse
Roughly 90 percent of children who are sexually abused know their abuser. The other 10 percent of sexually abused children are abused by a complete stranger. About 30 percent of children are abused by family members, and approximately 60 percent of all child sexual abuse cases involve people that the child’s family may trust. Not every person who sexually abuses a child is considered a pedophile.
Consequences of Mail and Wire Fraud
Technology and ways to obtain money and products have revolutionized the world over the past several years. People purchase products from the Internet with the intention of enjoying them several days or weeks later once received in the mail. The transfer of money from one person to another has also been made easier as well.
However, with the use of technology and tracking devices, mail and wire fraud have become much more prevalent. Unfortunately, there have been far too many cases where mail and wire fraud have taken effect, and the consequences have always been far from desirable.
What is Mail Fraud?
Mail fraud is defined as the act of intending to create a scheme to defraud or obtain money by fraudulent promises. The act of mail fraud can also include but is not limited to:
- Placing a fraudulent product in mailbox that will be delivered by the United States Postal Services;
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