sign in sign up
<<
Home , Cybercrime, Identity theft

File a report with local law enforcement or contact your local prosecutor’s office to see what charges, if any, can OTHER RESOURCES OR FILE A COMPLAINT: be pursued. Stalking is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. • Anti- Working Group For additional resources, visit the Stalking Resource Center at www.ncvc.org/src. ([email protected]) • Better Business Bureau (investigates disagreements In cases of : between businesses and customers; www.bbb.org/ • Tell a trusted adult about what’s going on. consumer-complaints/file-a-complaint/get-started) • Save any of the related , texts, or messages as • CyberTipLine, operated by the National Center for Missing . & Exploited Children (investigates cases of online sexual Tips and Advice • Keep a record of incidents. exploitation of children; 1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com) • Report the incident to the website’s administrator; many websites including and YouTube • Electronic Task Forces and Working Groups encourage users to report incidents of cyberbullying. (www.secretservice.gov/ectf.shtml) IF YOU BECOME • Block the person on social networks and in . • The Secret Service (investigates fraudulent use of currency; www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml) A VICTIM OF • Avoid escalating the situation: Responding with hostility is likely to provoke a bully. Depending on • StopFraud.Gov Victims of Resources the circumstances, consider ignoring the issue. If you (www.stopfraud.gov/victims.html) or your child receives unwanted email messages, • U.S. Emergency Readiness Team (www.us-cert. consider changing your email address. gov) For more information, visit www.stopcyberbullying.org and • U.S. Department of www.ncpc.org/cyberbullying. (www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime) • U.S. Postal Inspection Service (investigates fraudulent on- HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME? line auctions and other cases involving the mail; postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactus/filecomplaint.aspx) A Word about . • Your State Attorney General (the National Association of Avoid malware with the following tips from the STOP. Attorneys General keeps a current contact list at THINK. CONNECT. campaign: www.naag.org/current-attorneys-general.php) • Keep a clean machine by making sure your security The National Cyber Security Alliance would like to thank the National Sheriffs’ Association and International Association of Chiefs of for their assistance in software, operating system and web browser are up creating this resource. to date. • When in doubt throw it out. Don’t click on any links or open attachments unless you trust the source. • Make your long and strong and unique. Combine capital and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols to create a more secure . Use a different password for each account. • Back up your data regularly. • Protect all devices that connect to the . Smartphones, gaming systems, and other web-enabled devices also need protection. COLLECT AND KEEP EVIDENCE If your personal information has been stolen through a The Realities of Cybercrime corporate , you will likely be contacted by the It’s important to keep any evidence you may have related business or agency whose data was compromised with Cybercrime in all its many forms (e.g., to your complaint. Evidence may include the following: additional instructions, as appropriate. , financial fraud, stalking, bullying, hacking, e-mail spoofing, information piracy and , • Canceled checks If stolen money or identity is involved, contact one of the intellectual , and more) can, at • Certified or other mail receipts three credit bureaus to report the crime ( at 1-800- 525-6285, at 1-888-397-3742, or TransUnion at best, wreak havoc in victims’ lives through major • Chatroom or newsgroup text 1-800-680-7289). Request that the place inconvenience and annoyance. At worst, cybercrime • receipts can lead to financial ruin and potentially threaten a a fraud alert on your credit report to prevent any further • Envelopes (if you received items via FedEx, UPS, or U.S. Mail) victim’s reputation and personal safety. fraudulent activity from occurring. As soon as one of the • Facsimiles bureaus issues a fraud alert, the other two bureaus are • Log files, if available, with date, time and time zone automatically notified.

STOP. THINK. CONNECT. • Messages from Facebook, or other social For additional resources, visit the Resource Center at One of the best ways to learn how to prevent networking sites www.idtheftcenter.org or the at cybercrime is to check out www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/tools.html. at stopthinkconnect.org/tips-and-advice/. • Money order receipts • Pamphlets or brochures In cases of Social Security fraud: • Phone bills If you believe someone is using your • Printed or preferably electronic copies of emails for employment purposes or to fraudulently receive Social SHOULD I REPORT CYBERCRIME? (if printed, include full email header information) Security benefits, contact the Social Security Administration’s Cybercrime can be particularly difficult to investigate • Printed or preferably electronic copies of web pages fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271. Request a copy of your and prosecute because it often crosses legal jurisdictions • Wire receipts social security statement to verify its accuracy. and even international boundaries. For additional resources, visit the Social Security Administration at oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse. Who to contact: TIPS FOR SPECIFIC TYPES OF CYBERCRIME In cases of online stalking: Local law enforcement. Even if you have been the Here are useful tips to follow for some specific types In cases where the offender is known, send the stalker a target of a multijurisdictional cybercrime, your local law of : clear written warning saying the contact is unwanted and enforcement agency has an obligation to assist you, take asking that the perpetrator cease sending communications a formal report, and make referrals to other agencies. In cases of identity theft: of any kind. IC3. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a Make sure you change your passwords for all online Save copies of all communication from the stalker (e.g., partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation accounts. Make it long, strong and unique, with a mix of emails, threatening messages, messages via ) and the National White Collar Crime Center. Complaints upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. and document each contact, including dates, times and may be filed online at www.ic3.gov/default.aspx. Close any unauthorized or compromised credit or charge additional circumstances, when appropriate. Federal Trade Commission. The FTC does not resolve accounts. Inform the companies that someone may be File a complaint with the stalker’s Internet Service Provider individual consumer complaints, but does operate the using your identity, and find out if there have been any (ISP) and yours. Many ISPs offer tools that filter or block Consumer Sentinel, a database that is used by civil and unauthorized transactions. communications from specific individuals. criminal law enforcement authorities worldwide. File Think about what other personal information may be at your complaint at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_ Own your online presence. Set security and settings risk. You may need to contact other agencies depending on Wizard.aspx?Lang=en. on social networks and other services to your comfort level the type of theft. of sharing. Your Local Victim Service Provider. Most communities File a report with your local law enforcement agency. You in the have victim advocates ready to help Consider changing your email address and ISP; use will need to provide a copy of the law enforcement report to following a crime. Find local victims service providers software or privacy protection programs on your banks, creditors, other businesses, credit bureaus, etc. here: ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices/search.asp your computer and mobile devices. (Consult with law enforcement before changing your email account.)