With the increasing number of cybercrimes globally, traditional crime reduction efforts are not being effective enough to prevent the crime. We shall be looking at the various types of cybercrimes.
Online Terrorism
“Online terrorism” typically refers to the use of internet and digital technologies by individuals or groups to promote, facilitate, or carry out acts of terrorism
Financial Crimes
Financial crimes encompass a broad range of illegal activities that involve monetary transactions or financial systems. These crimes can occur in various contexts, including banking, investment, insurance, and digital finance.
Online Extortion
Online extortion, also known as cyber extortion, refers to the act of using the internet or digital communication channels to threaten, intimidate, or coerce individuals or organizations into paying money or providing other benefits under the threat of harm or damage. It’s a form of cybercrime that can take various forms.
Online Sex Trafficking
Online sex trafficking involves the use of the internet, social media, and other digital platforms to recruit, advertise, and exploit individuals for commercial sex acts.
Cyber Warfare
Cyber warfare refers to the use of digital tactics and technologies to launch attacks against computer systems, networks, and infrastructure for strategic, military, or geopolitical purposes.
Computer As a Target
These crimes are carried out by a group of criminals with limited knowledge of technology. Due to the nature of their crimes, they require the technological expertise of the perpetrators. When the target of cybercrime is mainly an individual, the computer becomes the tool of the criminal. The psychological and intangible damage caused by these crimes are harder to prove than the technical ones.
Crimes that use networks or devices to carry out other goals include fraud, identity theft, phishing, and information warfare.
Spam
The propagation of offensive and obscene content, which includes harassment and threats. Phishing is mainly sent via email. The emails contain links to malicious websites.
Posting Of Offensive Materials Online
The content of websites and electronic communications may be offensive or distasteful to a variety of reasons.
Communications that are considered illegal in certain countries can also be considered offensive in others. This topic is very sensitive and can lead to court cases involving strong religious beliefs.
One area where the authorities have been successful in curtailing the circulation of child pornography is in Internet pornography.
Cybercrimes against women are also considered crimes that have a motive to harm the victim psychologically.
Cyber Harassments And Intimidation
The examples and perspectives in this section are not representative of a worldwide view of the topic.
This behavior is defined as harassment, which is directed at specific individuals. It can be offensive in a non-specific way.
Sometimes, a crime can be made worse by using a computer. In this case, a defendant was sentenced to an enhanced sentence after he was apprehended using a cellular phone to persuade a minor to perform a prohibited sexual act.
In the US, there are laws that address the issue of online harassment. In China, for instance, a law was passed to punish those who torment young people through the Human Flesh Search Engine. The UK also passed a law that states that sending offensive letters or messages could lead to a prison sentence of up to six months.
Although freedom of speech is generally protected in most democratic societies, it doesn’t include all types of speech. For instance, if someone sends a message that is threatening, then it’s criminalized.
Illicit Drugs
Drug dealers sell recreational drugs online. They can also communicate with mules using encrypted messaging tools. One of the most popular websites used to buy and sell drugs was Silk Road.
Illicit drug markets have had a steady rise in popularity due to their anonymity and safety. There are numerous ways to lose all of your money in these markets.
Most of the time, people use tools such as Tor, Tails, and Darknet to hide their identities. These are commonly used by law enforcers to prevent people from accessing sensitive information.
Although it’s possible to get around the law by typing in a search term, accessing illicit markets through Darknet is not as simple as just typing in a web address. There are also special links that change every day.
Bitcoin allows people to send and receive money without having to know anything about the other person.
One of the biggest issues that users face when using marketplaces is the exit scamming, where a vendor acts as if they’re still on the market and accepts money from users. This happens when a vendor suddenly decides to leave the market and doesn’t want to be a vendor anymore.
Due to the varying regulations and laws in different states, many people who deal in drugs have been charged with multiple offenses.