Question for our in house attorneys and everyone else regarding Ebay scams and the Patriot Act statu
wingedliberty
Posts: 4,805 ✭✭✭
I have seen numerous posts of late regarding a variety of Ebay scam emails soliciting personal information and threatening to close your Ebay account if not provided.
I know alot of these emails originate overseas and are extensions of the Colombian and Nigerian scam networks as has been reported by the FBI.
The question is this:
Can these scams not fall unter the new Patriot Act statute since they are a direct attack on the internet which is considered part of America's infrastructure and they are attacking our commerce and our economy!
Why is this not considered cyberterrorism since it results in identity fraud and is a direct attack on America's citizens!
Why aren't prosectutors setting better standards? or is it a matter of cooperation between agencies local and federal and a simply function of ego and lack of initiative?
Your thoughts?
I know alot of these emails originate overseas and are extensions of the Colombian and Nigerian scam networks as has been reported by the FBI.
The question is this:
Can these scams not fall unter the new Patriot Act statute since they are a direct attack on the internet which is considered part of America's infrastructure and they are attacking our commerce and our economy!
Why is this not considered cyberterrorism since it results in identity fraud and is a direct attack on America's citizens!
Why aren't prosectutors setting better standards? or is it a matter of cooperation between agencies local and federal and a simply function of ego and lack of initiative?
Your thoughts?
0
Comments
I agree with you about the lack of enforcement.
adrian
<< <i>It is my opinion that the government has it's hands full - that there isn't really enough money to fight physical terrorism and also cyber terrorism. Furthermore, i think the feds feel like folks who have money to spend on stuff through eBay probably can afford to be victimized. But that is just my opinion.
adrian >>
There is enough money. There just isn't a competent leader at the moment...and I'm not at all sure I see any waiting in the wings either. This is truly a scammers dream come true. A Canadian scammer got me (and apparently many others) just about a month ago. Scammers are a special type of scum. Most actually are quite intelligent. They are just evil to the core. We treat this type of individual much too lightly. We need to start giving consecutive rather than concurrent sentences to this type of criminal when convicted. We need to put fear into the scammers. Right now, it just isn't happening.
Joe
Doesn't matter whether it's the Patriot Act. For fraud amounts below $50,000 there is no investigation.
I could defraud $10,000 from 10 people and nothing would be done! (Well, I'd be having a good time
Until these facts change, fraud will grow exponentially.
Why should * I * have to make new a email addresses every time it gets this bad?
Companies are giving what I consider privileged information to undesirables every day even though they say they are not.
At the very least the companies that provide a consumer with internet access should be ordered to regulate there email systems. Any normal person, besides big legitimate businesses, do not need the access to send and email to 100 people.
REGULATE REGULATE REGULATE
is that you end up being governed by inferiors. – Plato
<< <i>Information is given out willy-nilly and by whom? For example, ever since I started bidding with any regularity on e-bay about a month ago, my junk e-mail has more than quintupled-Why? >>
I've also noticed that when I am active on eBay the level of junk mail increases. Anybody know why this is the case?
We don't need any reference to the so-called "Patriot Act". We simply need to enforce existing fraud statutes. Frankly, no one in government, here or overseas, seems to care. At the moment there seems to be little risk for the scammers. Until that changes the number of scams will continue to increase.
That says it all.
There appears to be a lack of enforcement of many laws. It comes down to one thing.....money. Does the DA want to spend precious resources chasing cyber crooks throughout the world? Even in the US does it make sense to hunt down a fraud "ring" only to find out it's some runny nose 14yr old having "fun". I say yes and throw his parents in jail.
Even non interent crime is not prosecuted or pursued. I am sure we all have stories about minor crimes which went unpunished. Just imagine this, in Clark County, NV there are over 8,000 outstanding felony warrants and not enough staff to go out abd get these guys, many who are at home or work and hiding in plain sight.
For the record many of these ebay scams are originating from eastern Europe and Russia. The Nigerians are specialists in the banking schemes which have been running for at least 15-20yrs. Many still fall for this otherwise they would not be doing it. Years ago I know Midland bank wired $5,000,000 in an elaborate scheme concocted by the Nigerians and another group in Spain or Italy, no one was ever caught.
No, they are using the internet as intended. If they actually tried to bring the internet down, then you would see some action.