Cybercrimes refer to crimes committed on the Internet. Cybercrime training is specialized training that teaches law enforcement officers how to find and prosecute criminal groups who use the Internet. Cybercrimes typically include child exploitation, identity theft, and the illegal transmission or sales of counterfeit goods over the Internet. Police are trained to track criminals using computer forensics, among other tools.
Identify theft is an example of a cybercrime. This occurs when an individual’s financial or personal information is stolen and used fraudulently. Cybercrime training will include tactics for catching identity theft rings. Criminals are able to steal information for identity theft by shoulder surfing, dumpster diving, and phishing. These techniques are used to lure information away from an individual, which will lead to identity theft.
When a person is using the Internet, he should be careful not to expose his personal information to organizations or individuals he is not familiar with. Many companies request banking information or biographic information that can later be used to obtain fraudulent loans or credit cards. Once the criminal rings obtain the loans, they will default and leave the debt to the victim.
Illegal drugs can easily be sold on the Internet. This is another crime police are trained to investigate in a cybercrime training curriculum. Drugs sold over the Internet that do not require a prescription are typically considered fraudulent. Individuals should be wary of purchasing this type of medicine because it may not be legitimate.
Movie piracy is another popular criminal activity occurring on the Internet. Many crime rings are selling movies over the Internet before they have been released into the movie theaters. Purchasing illegal movies in this manner is a crime for both the buyer and seller.
The selling of counterfeit designer handbags, watches, and shoes is an epidemic on the Internet today. Cybercrime training teaches law enforcement officers how to detect and prosecute organizations that sell counterfeit goods over the Internet. This typically requires the purchasing and validation of goods by the officers.
Crimes against children are another form of cybercrime committed on the Internet today. Examples of child crimes include pornography, exploitation, and human smuggling. Cybercrime training teaches law enforcement officers how to detect and catch criminals who pursue children. This typically includes social networking training, which can be used during investigations.
In the United States, it is illegal to gamble on the Internet. Cybercrime training includes training on the rules and regulations pertaining to gambling. In many cases, law enforcement agencies find that the Internet gambling rings are operating outside of the United States, though computer users in the United States can access them for gambling through the Internet.