CYBER CRIMES

This section is for posting information about crimes that can or may occur while using a computer, email, the internet, etc. The internet has become a cesspool of criminal activity and citizens who use the internet to buy and sell their personal belongings, make dates, or buy merchandise must be aware of the tactics criminals are using and more importantly the solutions that may be available to you if you are ever involved in a Cyber Crime.

On-line Classified Ad sites require common sense precautions to stay out of trouble

On-line Classified Ad sites like Craig’s List are a place where you can post your unwanted or no longer needed items for sale in a sort of digital garage sale environment. It is simple and easy to post and make transactions with folks in your community. Leave it to the criminals to figure out a way to mess up a good thing however.

For example, Craigslist has been linked with 330 crimes, 12 murders and 105 robberies or assaults in the United States last year due to anonymous interactions on the site, says a new study by AIM Group. AIM Group examined nationwide crime reports reported in local media coverage, concludes the anonymity on Craigslist is exploited by criminals across the country to rob, assault or even kill consumers as they try to buy or sell things like cars, musical instruments, computers, apartments and furniture. The report calls Craigslist “a cesspool of crime,” citing murders, rapes, robberies, assault and rental rip-offs as some of the examples.

And these aren’t “out of the ordinary” occurrences according to the AIM Group study. Bottom of Form Anonymous classified advertising very frequently can pose a serious danger to people in our community.

According to the AIM study, Craigslist has become almost synonymous with criminal activity. Here are just a few examples cited in an article written by an IB Times staff reporter in February of this year:

“According to the AIM report, a recent rash of robberies in Oakland,California was traced to a gang of men advertising luxury cars for sale on Craigslist and then robbing and in some cases assaulting buyers who responded. ”

“Police in Chicago have labeled Craigslist crimes, “robbery by appointment” because criminals in the Windy City regularly use Craigslist to identify victims and have the luxury of scheduling their crimes. The most notorious crime last year led to an entire family being taken hostage and the father shot dead in front of his wife and children, who were also assaulted.”

Now to be fair, Craigslist and other on-line classified ad sites really can’t or shouldn’t be blamed for the criminal activity associated with their sites. After all, they simply provide a means to facilitate transactions and according to a Criagslist spokesperson, hundreds of Millions or Billions of transactions have occurred safely between Craigslist users.

“Crime is exceedingly rare on craigslist in part because criminals know that the electronic trail they leave there helps ensure their capture, and CL is unusually helpful and cooperative with law enforcement,” according to a craig’s list spokesperson.

The important thing to remember is that the risk is not zero and common sense precautions are in order when using any online classified web site.