17 May What are the Major Types of Cybercrime?
The rise of the digital age and tremendous advancements in technology come with both positive and negative impacts on our daily lives. For example, never before has information been so easily accessible and shareable. This fact enables us to store information online, work remotely, and do business globally. But it also makes the precious information we share vulnerable to cyber attacks. As a criminal defense law firm in Phoenix Arizona, Coolidge Law is familiar with the threat major types of cybercrime pose to individuals and businesses alike.
What is cybercrime?
The definition may seem fairly obvious—crimes committed using the internet—but it’s beneficial to take a look at how the law defines cybercrime. Cybercrimes in Arizona range from simple misdemeanors to full-blown felonies.
Unlike most ordinary crimes, the tricky thing about cybercrimes is, they are often committed in one location, while the victim or the device may be located in a completely different county, state, or country.
Let’s say Ted, who lives in Phoenix, commits credit card fraud against Phillip, who lives in Washington D.C. According to Arizona Revised Statute 13-109, which discusses where the place of trial shall be held, Ted can be prosecuted both in the county where he lives, as well as in the county in which the victim resides.
What are the major types of cybercrime?
General categories of cybercrime include: 1. crimes against people (cyber harassment, distribution of child pornography, credit card fraud); 2. crimes against property (hacking, virus transmission, copyright ); and 3. crimes against the government (accessing confidential information, cyber warfare, pirated software).
Examples of common computer crimes in Arizona
In addition to the examples listed above, the following are considered computer tampering in Arizona under ARS 13-2316:
- Accessing, altering, damaging or destroying any computer, computer system or network, or any part of a computer, computer system or network, with the intent to devise or execute any scheme or artifice to defraud or deceive, or to control property or services by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises.
- Knowingly altering, damaging, deleting or destroying computer programs or data.
- Knowingly introducing a computer contaminant into any computer, computer system or network.
- Recklessly disrupting or causing the disruption of computer, computer system or network services or denying or causing the denial of computer or network services to any authorized user of a computer, computer system or network.
- Recklessly using a computer, computer system or network to engage in a scheme or course of conduct that is directed at another person and that seriously alarms, torments, threatens or terrorizes the person.
- Preventing a computer user from exiting a site, computer system or network-connected location in order to compel the user’s computer to continue communicating with, connecting to or displaying the content of the service, site or system.
- Knowingly obtaining any information that is required by law to be kept confidential or any records that are not public records by accessing any computer, computer system or network that is operated by this state.
- Knowingly accessing any computer, computer system or network or any computer software, program or data that is contained in a computer, computer system or network.
Computer Crimes Attorney in Arizona
State computer crime laws are constantly changing. If you or someone you love has been charged with a cybercrime it’s important to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. Todd Coolidge, of Coolidge Law Firm, has the knowledge, practical experience and skill to know what the prosecution will use in preparing a computer crimes case, and he knows how to counter those tactics in your criminal defense strategy. Call today to schedule a free consultation: 480-264-5111.
In our next blog post will discuss ways to proactively protect yourself against cybercrimes.
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