INTERNET CRIME

13 Pages 3253 Words

INTRODUCTION
“Global computer-based communications cut across territorial borders, creating a new realm of human activity and undermining the feasibility—and legitimacy—of applying laws based on geographic boundaries.” (Post and Johnson 1996) The Internet is a relatively new phenomenon and this “cyberspace” is causing problems for regulatory systems. The Internet is a world that is very difficult to govern and it is because of this that criminals are discovering the net as a place to conduct illegal activity. It is the government’s goal to understand the reasons for the difficulty for enforcement on the Internet and to come up with adequate solutions.


WHAT IS FRAUD?
Computer Abuse is roughly defined as, “ Any incident associated with computer technology in which a victim suffered or could have suffered loss and a perpetrator by intention made or could have made gain.” (Parker 12) Although computers are a fairly recent development in regards to home use there has been a surge of them for entertainment in the last two decades. The growing awareness of the computer and the Internet has produced individuals with the knowledge to accomplish high tech computer crimes. Internet crime is not only an issue of the present. It has been recorded as early as 1950. Crime on the Net is expanding. There is now a wide range of crimes that occur in cyberspace. There is fraud-involving embezzlement, selling of faulty shares and organized crime has even gone electronic. [1] The mob has been using the Internet for such things as gambling. It provides an easy and fast way to exchange information across a vast amount of space.[2] The Internet!
provides a unique environment, in which unauthorized activities can occur. An example of a scam occurred on a chat room dedicated to finance. Someone logged on under a code name and listed supposedly hot Internet stocks on the market. This user was particular...