KEY POINTS
- A 2020 study conducted by Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, revealed that 72% of Americans worry about having their personal, credit card or financial data stolen by hackers.
- During the same year, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that Phishing/Vishing/Smishing/Pharming was the most frequent type of cyber crime reported to the organization. This category of cyber crime alone generated 241,342 complaints.
- The 2019 edition of Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) identified that 94% of malware is delivered via email.
This Ask the Experts session stems from a question originally posted on Quora titled “Where can I report fake casino bonuses that have malware links?”
If the victim/target of the malicious online activity is located in the United States (U.S citizenship is not required), or the crime takes place in the US, you can file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which is ran by the Federal Bureaus of Investigation (FBI). Complaints can also be filed on behalf of those who you believe have fallen victim to online crime.
The IC3 defines internet crime as “any illegal activity involving one or more components of the Internet, such as websites, chat rooms, and/or email.”
The IC3 requires that the following pieces of information be included, if applicable/obtainable, when submitting a complaint:
- The victims name, address, telephone number, and email address
- Financial transaction information, such as: compromised account information, transaction date(s), amount of funds lost, and who received the money
- The subject’s name (the person committing the crime), address, telephone number, email address, malicious website, and IP address
- Details on what exactly happened (How were you or the person that you are representing victimized/inconvenienced).
- Email header(s)
- Any any additional information that may support your case or aid in an investigation
The information that you provide is then reviewed and researched by an IC3 analyst, and ultimately forwarded to local, state, federal, or internal law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Your complaint can have a profound affect on the online safety of others!
Have any questions regarding how to report instances of cyber crime? Contact us and we will be glad continue the dialog! Do not forget to click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more information security related tips and tricks.
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