What Is Cybercrime?
Cybercrime is an umbrella term that describes the many types of criminal activities that involve a computer or network. This includes hacking, phishing, identity theft, ransomware attacks, malware attacks, and more. The goal of cybercriminals is to gain unauthorized access to a person’s personal information, financial data or devices in order to profit from the stealing or damaging of that information.
A major component of cybercrime involves online banking and other financial transactions. It’s important to keep an eye on your bank statements and query any unfamiliar transactions with the bank as soon as possible. This will help to identify any suspicious activity and prevent you from becoming a victim of this type of crime.
Another common type of cybercrime involves online job scams. Victims will often respond to an online posting that advertises a work from home opportunity. They’ll be asked to complete a variety of tasks for an employer they’ve never met, and then sent payments via money transfer apps such as Venmo or Cash App. The scammers will then pocket the funds or use them to carry out more malicious acts.
HSI investigates the full range of cybercrime incidents, from financial loss to a decreased ability for people and organizations to carry out their missions due to compromised systems. We also conduct investigations into the unauthorized release of protected personal information, and the unauthorized sale or export of controlled materials and export-controlled data. These crimes are often facilitated by international criminal networks.