INTERNET CRIME PREVENTION

The Internet places a vast amount of information and exciting experiences at your command. With the click of the mouse, the Internet allows you to buy an airline ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, or purchase your favorite stock. However, as the legitimate use of the Internet increases throughout our nation and the world, the wrongful use of the Internet to commit crime and victimize people also increases. The following Internet crime prevention information is meant to help you protect yourself, your loved ones, your friends, your neighbors and your community, and to make your journey on the Internet as safe, secure and crime free as possible.

Common Internet Crimes :

Child Exploitation

Children can be sexually exploited, kidnapped, molested and solicited by individuals using online service. One reason is the anonymous nature of the Internet. Another reason is the large number of people using the Internet. Pedophiles will make contact with victims by having children call collect so the pedophile's telephone number will not show up on their parent's telephone bill. Pedophiles will also purchase a prepaid telephone card and give children a toll free access number enabling children to call from anywhere they choose. Pedophiles will often convince children to send them a photograph. Pedophiles will offer children money for their photograph and/or pose as professional photographers to obtain nude, graphic or sexually explicit photographs of children. Pedophiles commonly attempt to lower the inhibitions of children through deception in an attempt to lead children into their sexual conversations or acts. There are a number of ways parents can protect their children from becoming victims of pedophiles on the Internet.

The following are some examples:
• Choose an online service that offers parental control features;
• Purchase blocking software and design your own safety system;
• Monitor children that are online and monitor the time they spend online;
• Ensure children never reveal identifying information about themselves on the Internet in a public chat room, on an electronicbulletin board or in their E-mail messages;
• Ensure children do not give out personal information about themselves such as their age;
• Consider using a pseudonym or unlisting your child' s name;
• Get to know the services your child uses;
• Block out objectionable material through your Internet service provider;
• Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user without parental permission;
• Ensure children never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or threatening;
• Encourage children to tell you whenever they encounter such messages;
• If you or your children receives a message that is harassing, sexual in nature, or threatening, forward a copy of the message to your service provider and ask for their assistance;
• If you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while online, report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
• Teach children that people online may not be who they seem;
• Teach children online service providers never ask for passwords and they should never give their password out;
• Teach children that everything they read or see on the Internet may not be true;
• Teach children to never let anyone pressure them into doing something they feel uncomfortable doing;
• Teach children to never enter an area on the Internet that charges for services without asking permission from a responsible adult first;
• Some children have access to the Internet at school. Check with the school authorities to ensure your children are properly supervised and monitored by a responsible adult;
• Know your children' s friends and their parents.

The Pump And Dump

This is a stock scam. Messages are posted on the Internet urging readers to buy stock quickly that is poised for rapid growth. The message writer often claims to have inside information about an impending development. The reality is that the writer stands to gain by selling or buying stock shares after the price goes up or down. This ploy is normally used with unregistered, little known, thinly traded stocks.

The Hijack

The Hijack is relatively new form of fraud unique to the Internet. Consumers are prompted to download a purported “viewer program” to see computer images for free. Once downloaded, the consumer's computer is “hijacked” by the viewer program which turns off the consumer's modem speakers, disconnects the from local Internet provider, dials an international number and connects the consumer to a remote site. The expensive international costs are charged to the consumer's telephone bill until the telephone us turned off.

Pyramid Schemes

Pyramid schemes are similar to multi-level marketing. Pyramid schemes provide financial incentives to recruit new distributors. They are generally prohibited because it is a mathematical certainty that the pyramids will collapse when no new distributors can be recruited. When that happens, most people lost their money. The Internet offers a fast lane for pyramid builders by facilitating a large-scale recruitment pool in little or no time. Be extremely cautious if a promoter offers you an extremely large short-term return on any investment, particularly if there is a disclaimer that the investment is “high-risk and you could lose all of you money”. Additionally, if there are no written claims delineating the return on other's investments, you are quite possibly looking at a pyramid scheme. Beware of all get rich quick schemes. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Gambling

One of the greatest potential dangers for fraudulent loss posed for people using the Internet is gambling. There are as many as 200 gambling sites on the Internet. Consumers can gamble on sports, blackjack, keno, roulette, etc. Gambling on the Internet is especially risky because gambling is an unregulated industry and currently, there is no effective way to control it. Companies based in foreign countries using foreign bank accounts are able to easily bilk consumers out of their money. Many times Internet “gamblers” are unable to contact the companies with whom they placed their bets to collect their winnings. Gambling on the Internet exposes consumers to fraud, civil liability and possible criminal liability.
Online Auctions
Online auctions are popular to many people who use the Internet. Generally, online auctions are person-to-person sales where individuals bid for various types of merchandise. The highest bidder then pays in advance of receiving the merchandise. A growing priblem is sellers failing to deliver merchandise that consumers have purchased.

Fraud

Internet fraud takes many forms. The Internet' s promise of substantial consumer benefits is coupled with the potential for fraud and deception. Fraud operators are opportunists who are among the first to appreciate the potential of a new technology. There is nothing new about Internet fraud, however, the size and potential market, relative ease, low cost, and speed with which a scam can be perpetrated has increased tremendously.

Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail

Internet service providers report handling 60 million electronic messages per day. Estimates of Unsolicited Commercial E-mail (UCE) indicate it comprises as much as one-third of the total E-mail traffic. This ever-increasing volume of UCE strains the capacity of online service providers and threatens the development of the Internet as a conduit for commerce. Beyond the sheer volume and potential annoyance of UCE, many UCE messages may also be misleading or deceptive.

Teaser Pages

The Internet is rife with fraud and deception. Some web pages "tease" individuals with promises of easy money for little or nothing. These scams include phony scholarships, travel programs, weight loss programs and others.

High Pressure Sales

A high-pressure sales pitch may sound exciting, however, as a rule, such a pitch should be resisted. Before you invest any money, take your time. Get a second opinion from a financial planner, an attorney, or an accountant you can trust. Finally, research the company's reputation. Call your local consumer protection agency in the city where the company is headquartered for more information.

Following are lines frequently used by scam artists:
• "We don't make money unless you make money."
• "I know you get offers everyday from people who tell you they're going to make you rich. I can make it easy for you to make your decision based on actual facts."
• "This opportunity is the best chance to make extra money for guys who work for a living; guys like you and me."
• "I've been in this business for 20 years and I can tell you this;
• I know of no other program that is legal, easy to afford and can bring in this kind of big money from such a small investment."
• "I know this can work for you and I personally guarantee your success, right down to the last penny."
• "Give me one percent of your trust and I'll earn the other 99 percent when you see the return."
• "Of course there is a risk, there is a risk in everything."
• "Sure we could finance this venture ourselves, however, we're trying to build a power base for the future for folks like you."
• "We're talking about a cash cow here, it's going fast and I need your check tomorrow at the latest."
• "I can't be lying, there are laws against lying." The Risk Free Scam Many times this scam solicits its victims with exotic-sounding investments such as wireless cable projects, prime bank securities or fictitious business ventures overseas. Promoters misrepresent risk to "investors" by comparing their offer to something safe, such as bank security deposits. Many times the investment offer never really exists.

What is Cyber harassment?

Cyber harassment is an immoral behavior by someone or a group, who uses technology such as computers, internet or mobile devices to send disturbing messages to bother, humiliate, threaten, or stalk someone else. The schemes used consist of emails, instant chat messaging, blog message, text messages sent via cell phones, digital photos, videos and all other means of electronic communication.

The types of content a cyber harasser may send include the following:

* offensive and confrontational message
* foul words, cruel, hateful, and insulting remarks
* threats, intimidations and false promises
* scandals or rumor mongering

The methods a cyber harasser could use to bother the victim may include the following:

* publication of secrets or embarrassing situations, including pictures or videos, for everyone to see and hear
* publication of gossip or rumors for the explicit purpose of damaging the person’s character
* sharing of messages pretending to be the victim in an attempt to damage that person’s morality, friendships, family or work reputation to result in the separation of the victim from friends, co-workers and family

Who are Cyber Harassers?

In some cases, a cyber harasser can also harass in face-to-face encounters. Harassing over the computer may be a natural extension of their disturbing behavior.

Some people who become cyber harassers may be the victims of harassment and are taking out their anger and frustration in the internet. They may be targeting the people who harassed them or they may have picked a different target.

Still others regard cyber harassing as a game or joke -- nothing more than a fun thing to do.

Who are the Victims of Cyber Harassment?

Majority of victims are children and the youth but there are also adults who are cyber harassing grown-up victims usually women in the workplace.

Generally, cyber harassers know their victim, but rarely do they pick victims they don’t know. In these situations, the cyber harasser is picking on someone based on a type of bias or prejudice. They may pick on people based on religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, or people who are considered different from their point of view.

Other times, they will pick on someone based on a message that he or she has posted or sent that the harasser doesn’t like.

Why Can Cyber Harassment be as Harmful as Physical Harassment?

A lot of people mistakenly think that “words, pictures or videos can never hurt.” In the internet, on the other hand, cyber harassers can conduct harassment at any given time and place, thanks to modern technology. As long as the victims are identified and online, they are open to cyber harassment.

People who commit cyber harassment pick on an individual just for the feeling of power that it gives them, financial gain or favor. Because the Internet seems to give anonymity, cyber harassment is often seen to have less liability to the cyber harassers, which can encourage them to continue and be aggressive.

An additional characteristic of internet that can lead cyber harassment to be as harmful as a physical harassment is that cyber harassers aren’t physically there when they are harassing their victims which can lead to a lessened consideration. Since the harassers cannot see how much they are hurting the victims, they may think they have not actually hurt them much or at all and may, therefore, continue the harassing behavior.

Some individuals believe that there are no rules in cyberspace. They feel free to do whatever they wish. Moreover, they believe they have the RIGHT to do whatever they want in cyberspace without accountability or consequences.

Some of the victims of cyber harassment, who are unable to handle it, either retaliate violently or in extreme situations commit suicide due to severe humiliation.

Warning Signs Your Child may be a Victim of Cyber Harassment

If your child exhibits the following, it may be a warning sign:

* displaying signs of depression, sadness, nervousness or fear – particularly if these signs intensify after your child uses the cell phone or after being online
* avoiding friends, social activities, or school
* experiencing difficulty with school or a drop in grades for no apparent reason
* expressing slight comments that indicate your child is disturbed or upset

What to do if a Cyber Harasser Targets Your Child

Revenge may only escalate the problem. If you feel the need to respond to a cyber harasser, help your child develop appropriate preventive actions by asking if possible the parent or guardian of the child who does cyber harassment to stop the misbehavior.

By filtering email, instant messages and text messages and blocking mobile numbers, you can cut off many of the ways they can contact your child. By having your child avoid the sites and groups where the attacks occur, he or she can ignore the cyber harasser.

In case harassment continues, then you can change your child’s email address, Internet account, mobile number and username(s).

If none of these steps are successful, you may need to take additional legal action, as follows:

1. Compile a copy of all harassing messages and postings. Save the addresses of web sites where other hostile information, embarrassing pictures or negative messages are posted. The more documentation you have the better.
2. Contact your child’s school. Even if the cyber harassment is not occurring in school, officials might be able to assist.
3. Contact the child’s parents or guardian by sending a formal letter, face to face conversation detailing the harassment messages sent and asking them to make it stop. The parents and their child could be liable for civil or criminal offenses due to emotional damages.
4. Finally, if the situation is not resolved, or if physical threats are made, contact the nearest PNP police station in your area.