From debit card frauds to phishing attacks, cybercrime is on a rise in the US, with a recent report noting a 62% increase in the number of cases filed between February 2021 to February 2022.
Moreover, cyber attacks on various organizations such as Uber, Rockstar Games, and more have added to panic, especially among individuals. However, it is essential to understand that reporting cybercrime is as important as preventing oneself from it.
Over the years, the way people use the internet has transformed and so have the attacking methods of cyber criminals. A criminal offense using a computer, internet, smartphone, or other technology is considered a cybercrime.
Unlike regular police complaints, which often require a physical visit to the police station, filing a cybercrime complaint online is feasible. The process is relatively simple, and various authorities and websites provide these services.
Before we get into that, let’s understand what crimes come under the cybercrime category and what parameters are used to confirm a felony as cybercrime.
What is a cybercrime in the USA?
Cybercrime is any illegal activity that takes place online. This can include hacking and cyber terrorism, child pornography, and cyberbullying among others.
Many federal and state laws in the United States cover cybercrimes, hence, knowing which rule applies to a particular situation is essential.
Cybercrime is a growing problem in the United States and the recent attacks on various organizations have brought more attention to it. To report a cybercrime, one can file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received nearly 300,000 complaints in 2017, with losses exceeding $1.4 billion. This represents a significant increase from previous years.
There are many kinds of cybercrime that are committed every day, but the most common types include the following:
Identity theft
Identity theft is usually referred to as the event when someone uses the personal information of another person without their permission to commit fraud.
Phishing
This is an online scam where criminals send emails or texts pretending to be from a legitimate organization to trick users into giving them personal information or money.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that is injected into the victim’s computers and system to encrypt files. The attack’s threat actor can demand a ransom in exchange for decrypting them.
Denial-of-service attacks
These attacks overload systems with traffic, so they can’t function properly. They are often used to target websites or other online services.
However, one can take steps to protect themselves from cybercrime. If one becomes a victim of scammers and hackers, there are always ways to file a cybercrime complaint in the USA and get help.
Understanding the Role of the Internet Crime Complaint Center
According to the website of the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), it is the United States’ central hub for addressing online crimes.
Run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is the prime government agency that investigates cybercrimes, people can find all their questions answered including How to report cyber crime on this portal.
Besides helping the residents of the United States with their online crime reporting, the Internet Crime Complaint Center regularly publishes alerts with details about common ongoing digital scams. Users may subscribe and find emails in their inbox about cybercrime and best digital practices.
How to Report Cyber Crime?
To learn how to report cyber crimes in the USA, it is important to acquaint oneself with the portal of the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Additionally, it would help to occasionally read through the updates as press releases, consumer alerts, news releases etc., posted on the main legal and government websites.
This includes the press releases on the websites of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. Not just about online crimes and scams, the published pages will give helpful advice about cybercriminals, and arrests made by them.
How to file a cybercrime complaint online in the USA?
If anyone has been a victim of cybercrime, then they can reach out to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to file a cybercrime complaint online in the USA.
For the uninitiated, the IC3 is an agency that combines the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It accepts online complaints related to various cybercrimes and offers advice.
To file a complaint with the IC3, one will need to provide information about themselves and the incident, including:
- Victim name, address, telephone number, and email address.
- The name, address, telephone number, and email address of any businesses or individuals involved in the incident.
- A detailed description of the case.
- Any relevant dates or timeframes.
- Any other pertinent information that may help investigate the complaint.
Once they have gathered this information, the next step is to visit the official website http://www.ic3.gov and click on the “File a Complaint” link. From there, they will be asked to confirm the Terms of Use for the IC3 website and begin filling out the complaint form.
How to prevent being a target of cybercrime?
Cybercrime is any crime that involves a computer, network, or database. The first step in stopping cybercrime is understanding what it is and how it affects the users. This includes hacking and identity theft, online fraud, and child pornography.
There are several ways to prevent cybercrime. The most important thing is to keep one’s computer and other devices secure. This means using strong passwords, not sharing personal information online, and being careful about downloading files on the internet. One can also install security software and updates as soon as they become available.
If someone has been a victim of cybercrime, the best thing to do is report it to the authorities. They can file a complaint on US-CERT.gov, FTC.gov, IC3.gov, and SSA.gov. Moreover, it is essential to include as much detail and evidence, such as screenshots, emails, notifications and more while filing a complaint.
