6. February 2010 by admin.

Synopsis: Electronic dissemination of indecent material. Provides that a child commits a delinquent act if the child creates, transmits, or possesses a photograph, video, or other material that shows a minor engaging in sexual conduct. Creates a defense to child exploitation, possession of child pornography, and dissemination of material harmful to minors if the defendant is a child, the offense constitutes a delinquent act, and: (1) the photograph, video, or other material does not show a child less than thirteen (13) years of age; or (2) the defendant did not knowingly or intentionally transmit or display the photograph, video, or other material to ten or more persons. Requires a child’s parent to participate in outpatient treatment or an educational program if a juvenile court orders the child to receive outpatient treatment or to attend an educational program.
Effective: July 1, 2010.

Source: Indiana General Assembly Senate Bill 0224

Posted in Internet Safety, Kids, Internet Crime, General | No Comments »

29. December 2009 by admin.

December 28, 2009

2009 is turning out be a banner year for the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).  Experts predict the Center will end the year with close to 350,000 complaints.  That’s a heck of a lot more than last year in which a record 275,284 complaints were received.  2010 will probably set another record.

While there is no doubt IC3 has become one of the most recognized vehicles for reporting online fraud today, the numbers have to date, only scratched the surface.  Many experts believe the number of people who fall prey to credit card fraud, online auction fraud, phishing scams and the like,  is actually far greater than the complaint numbers would indicate and cyber thieves aren’t letting up.  If anything, they’re increasing their efforts to separate you and I from our money.

Consumers need to educate themselves to prepare for the coming decade and the wave of sophisticated scams that are sure to follow.  There are a host of Web sites available that can help including:

www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com

www.scamvictimsunited.com

www.scambusters.org

If you do fall victim to online fraud, contact your local police right away and file a complaint with IC3 at www.ic3.gov.  It only takes a couple of minutes and the information can help law enforcement bring the perpetrators to justice.

Source: The Informant (NW3C: visit www.ic3.gov) December 28, 2009

Posted in Internet Safety, Internet Crime, General | 1 Comment »

8. October 2009 by admin.

State and County Law Enforcement Handle 90% of Felonies, but Not Many Agencies Have High-Tech Crime-Fighting Capability… More (WSJ.com)

Posted in Computer Forensics, Internet Crime, General | No Comments »

21. September 2009 by admin.

If your wallet or credit card is stolen, call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. The alert means any company that checks your credit has to contact you to authorize new credit.

Here are numbers you always need to contact if your wallet, etc., has been stolen:

1. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2. Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3. Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
4. Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

You can get a free credit report once a year from each of the three credit reporting agencies. They have set up a web site for this: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

Posted in Internet Crime, General | No Comments »

6. April 2009 by admin.

 Source: IC3.gov

Posted in Internet Crime, General | No Comments »

26. February 2009 by admin.

 This video goes along with our previous blog post on Monday, which you can view by clicking here.

A buyer & seller beware as it relates to protecting your child and your identity if you sell your computer online.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/29405819#29389379

Posted in Internet Safety, Kids, Internet Crime | No Comments »

29. January 2009 by admin.

According to the 2007 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report, 206,884 complaints were filed online for an estimated $239 million loss. However, keep in mind that experts (for once) agree that only 1 in 7 cyber-crimes are reported to the authorities or to sites such as IC3. The accurate cyber-crime figures, then, are roughly seven times higher.

Source: govtech.com

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18. January 2009 by admin.

“His troubles began in July 2007. He said he got an e-mail from someone claiming to be a lawyer with a client named David Rempel who died in a 2005 bomb attack in London, England, and left behind $12.8 million.”

Click Here to read this article

Source: The Windsor Star

Posted in Email Scam, Internet Safety, Internet Crime | 1 Comment »

27. August 2008 by admin.

There is a scam that is surfacing in southwestern Indiana involving a phone scam. Though this scam has been around for a while it has recently surfaced in our area and I think it is important for everyone to be aware of this scam.

The caller claims to be from your Visa or Mastercard Fraud Department, advising you that your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase. After verifying that you did not make the purchase indicated, the fraudster tells you that a fraud investigation will be initiated on your behalf. Before hanging up, the caller will ask you to provide the 3-digit code on the back of your card. DO NOT PROVIDE THE NUMBER or any other account information to the caller. This is another scam to steal your credit/debit card information. If you receive this type of phone call, you may want to report it to local law enforcement authorities. If you are unsure about the call, hang up and contact your financial institution at a number or website you know is valid for the institution.

If our Visa Fraud Department calls you, they will NEVER request this 3-digit code, your expiration date, or your PIN number. (Remember: Visa already has this information so why would they ask?)

Visa* recommends the following tips to protect yourself from credit card phone scams:

• When in doubt, ask for more information in writing about the organization calling or the offer being presented.
• Never feel obligated to provide your credit card number over the phone.
• Educate yourself about the cost of “900” number calls and how you can block such calls from getting through.
• Get as many details as you can – for example, ask how much of your donation will go toward the charity as opposed to paying for administrative costs. The fewer questions the caller can answer, the less likely he or she is legitimate.
• Get a call-back number, either so you can initiate the call yourself or because you may need to report it later.
• Stay informed so you’re aware of the latest trends in telephone fraud.

Your best response:

• If you get a call from someone posing as a representative from your financial institution and asking for your account or personal information, hang up immediately and call your bank to verify any claims.
• If a telemarketer offers you a get-rich-quick opportunity, the best response is to turn him or her down right away.
• Avoid offers informing you that you’ve won a prize. Respondents are often asked to pay for “shipping” or a “deposit” for a prize that never existed in the first place.
• Be wary of calls soliciting contributions to charitable causes, particularly those regarding disaster relief. Many times, these solicitors are not legitimate. You’re better off choosing a worthy cause and contacting them yourself than responding to a random telefunding request.

*Source: visa.com

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16. August 2008 by admin.

At Countrywide, One Overlooked PC Led to Loss of 2M Records: If your primary defense against portable storage devices is to seal up the USB ports on your users’ computers, you’d better be pretty darn good with a glue gun. That’s the message that’s emerged from court documents surrounding the recently revealed security breach at Countrywide Home Loans, where an employee siphoned off about 20,000 customer records a week for more than two years and sold them to a third party. [Date: 13 August 2008, Source: http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=161548&f_src=darkreading_section_296]

See also: http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=160767

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