Crimes That Are Only Possible Because of the Internet

The internet can be a scary place with robbers, scammers and hackers. The internet and computers have revolutionized the way we live. We depend on them greatly, for shopping online, paying bills, meeting new people and sharing data. Criminals too have recognized the benefits of the internet and use it to their advantage. Every year, millions of people become victims of some kind of cybercrime. With the ubiquity of the internet, smartphones and computers, it should come as no surprise that cybercrime is on the rise. Here are five crimes that are possible because of the internet.\r \r 1. Cyberbullying\r \r Cyberbullying involves the use of the internet and computer to harass, intimidate or cause harm to another person. Traditional bullying has existed for years but the internet has allowed for this new dimension. Cyberbullying can be quite traumatizing particularly since whatever is placed on the internet is permanent, ever-present and attackers have access to their victims day and night. The increased use of social media has made adolescents easy targets and whatever is posted goes viral in a matter of seconds. They are bullied about their physical appearance, race/ethnicity. religion, disability and gender. The effects are detrimental and result in depression, self-harm, sleep difficulties and anxiety.\r \r 2. Phishing\r \r Phishing involves criminals sending fraudulent emails purporting to be from reputable companies in an effort to obtain sensitive, private information. A user receives spam emails with malicious links or attachments. While some of them may be flagged, the majority do not seem suspicious. The device used to open such messages may not be harmed but the user may suffer financial loss as a consequence of sharing credentials and data loss due to website access that leads to identity theft.\r \r 3. Nigerian Letter Fraud\r \r The Nigerian letter scam, also known as advance fee fraud or "419 fraud," involves a sender pleading for assistance in completing an unauthorized money transfer. A bank employee, company executive, or self-declared government or military person is usually the author. They claim they require access to a foreign account in order to send money out of Nigeria. Depending on how gullible the target is thought to be, the sender may offer the recipient a commission of up to several million dollars. The scammer then demands money to cover some of the transfer's expenses.\r \r 4. Doxing\r \r Doxing involves obtaining and disseminating private or personally identifying information about people online without their consent. It also refers to discovering the true person hiding behind an alias and publishing that person's identity online. A variety of techniques, such as network intrusion, social engineering, data breaches, or study, can be used to gather information. Hackers use doxing to harass, threaten, or get revenge on others. Once someone's home address, place of employment, phone number, email, or other details are public, they become an easy target. Doxing may not be illegal in some jurisdictions, but doxers can be charged for incitement to violence, harassment and stalking.  \r \r 5. Ransomware\r \r Cybercriminals have the ability to install malicious software on your PC, effectively holding your critical data hostage until you accede to their demands. Typical ransomware attacks lock up a victim's computer or encrypt their files, promising to decrypt them only when the victim pays a ransom. But far too frequently, the files are lost forever. Such attacks can result in costly disruptions to business operations and loss of vital data. Opening an email attachment, clicking on an advertisement, selecting a link, or even going to a website that contains malware can unintentionally download ransomware onto a computer.\r \r