Tuesday Tip - Reporting Internet Crime

With what seems to be a growing trend, the Internet is being used for all sorts of scams to try and separate you from your money. Aside from property loss crimes, technology like the Internet, cellular phones, PDA's and the like are being used for threats and intimidation.

We are lucky to have a dedicated Investigator for technology based crime in Arcadia. Many agencies do not have that resource and rely on the County or larger agencies for assistance. When you have been victimized by someone by use of the Internet or other technology, where do you turn? Conventional police reports are the obvious answer, but there is also web based assistance out there. Solutions, immediate answers or satisfaction may not occur, but sharing your incident helps build information databases and perhaps a small key to locating suspects that commit such crime.

Private sites, such as Consumer Fraud Reporting.Org have resources and information on web based crime as well as other traditional fraud crime. The FBI participates in a website dedicated to collecting Internet crime info called the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Take a look at these sites and search for information on topics that include tips to avoid becoming a victim of Internet based scams or crime.