Informant Vol 10 No 2 - 2013 Spring - National White Collar Crime ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Tracking Down Stolen PhonesLaw enforcement, Industry and FCC work to curb the black marketin stolen wireless devices12Wireless devices outnumber humans in this world.In the United States, the number of Internetconnectedphones and tablets now stands at 330million (the U.S. has more than 315 million residents). Thepopularity and value of these devices, which contain an extraordinaryamount of user data, invite theft.Cell phones were stolen in more than 30 percent of allrobberies nationwide in 2012, according to the Federal CommunicationsCommission (FCC). In the biggest cities, thepercentage was higher. In San Francisco, CA, and Washington,D.C., more than 40 percent of 2012 robberies involvedcell phones. Apple® products have become so popular amongthieves in New York City that police saw a 40-percent increasein thefts of iPads®, iPhones® and iPods® in the first ninemonths of 2012. Authorities in Boston, MA, have placed adsin the city’s buses and commuter trains warning riders of thethreat of cell phone theft.Washington, D.C., police were among the first in the nationto appeal to federal policymakers for a national solutionto the scourge of wireless theft. D.C. had seen a 54-percentincrease in cell phone thefts since 2007.Reuniting consumers with their lost or stolen phonesand tablets, however, can prove difficult to downright impossiblefor law enforcement. A large and lucrative blackmarket exists for these devices in the U.S. and abroad.Clamping down on the theft of wireless devices requires theconcerted effort of law enforcement, government, industryand consumers.Last fall, the four largest wireless carriers in the U.S. –AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint – switched on databasesthat would catalogue the International Mobile EquipmentIdentity (IMEI) number of every device using their respectiveservices. When a user reports a stolen phone or Internetenableddevice, the database blocks the IMEI number.INFORMANT: SPRING/SUMMER 2013By Ty BowersPreviously, wireless carriers blocked the SIM (SubscriberIdentification Module) card of stolen phones, which preventedunauthorized calls. However, enterprising thieves easilyfound a way around that obstacle. They installed new SIMcards before re-selling the phones on the secondary market.IMEI numbers are unique to every device, a bit like anautomobile’s vehicle identification number plate. In the caseof a stolen phone, carriers can essentially render it useless – aterm called “bricking.”The Boston Police Department (BPD) actively advisesconsumers to consider “bricking” lost or stolen phones.“Bricking” cannot be undone. It renders all informationstored on a device inaccessible.Boston police logged more than 2,200 reports of stolenphones in 2012. “By bricking your phone, everybody wins.Not only will you protect your private information, but you’llalso help police eliminate the black market that exists forstolen smart phones,” BPD urged residents in a February 20,2013 blog posting on its website. “Said another way, you canhelp reduce robberies by eliminating the reason criminalssteal smart phones in the first place.”Currently, AT&T and T-Mobile operate a common databasefor devices that use their network technology – GlobalSystem for Mobile Communications (GSM). Verizon andSprint, which both use CMDA (Code Division Multiple Access),operate their own databases.By November 2013, those wireless providers, will linktheir respective databases in an effort to cover nearly all U.S.cell phone users, according to CTIA, the wireless industry’strade association. Smaller cellular providers have plans tolink to the larger database as well. CTIA worked with theFCC and police departments of major cities to develop thesephone and device databases as well as public education campaignsto promote more proactive behavior on the part ofconsumers to protect the data stored on their devices.All consumers who activate a new phone will receiveinstructions on how to lock their device remotely if it isever stolen.On its website, CTIA® (www.ctia.org) offers informationto consumers about how to handle a lost or stolen smartphoneor wireless device. The Association evaluates a numberof applications available for download that can remotelytrack, lock or erase smartphones.The FCC also offers a number of safety tips at www.fcc.gov/guides/stolen-and-lost-wireless-devices. These tips canbe used by police departments to aide citizens as well.
Social Media Best PracticesLos Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Using Social Media to Prevent CrimeBy Elizabeth SingerThe Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department(LASD) launched a new unit dedicated to monitoringand connecting through social media. Theunit, named the Electronic Communications Triage Unit(eComm) is an around-the-clock operation that is integratedinto the Department’s media and public outreach.“Social media is playing a large role in policing,” DeputyTony Moore said. “People want to receive informationthrough social media and other open-source tools.”LASD Captain Mike Parker commands the Sheriff ’sHeadquarters Bureau (SHB) and coordinates the Department’smedia and public outreach. He identified a needto create a dedicated unit for managing and monitoringLASD’s social media presence.The unit includes three deputies and five law enforcementtechnicians (who are civilian employees). The teamis responsible for maintaining multiple social media accountsthat include Facebook®, Twitter®, YouTube®, Nixle®and Pinterest®.“Law enforcement agencies need to understand thevalue of social media.” Deputy Moore said. “Even smallagencies can connect through Facebook, but it is importantto maintain the page. An empty page leaves a wrongimpression.”Community ConnectionThe No. 1 goal of eComm is to maintain a tool thatconnects LASD with the community. The LASD Facebookpage, for example, provides a look at staff on the job,news highlights and crime prevention/alerts. A recent postfeatured a story of a baby seal rescued by deputies after itstrayed into traffic.The baby seal story received numerous ‘likes,’ ‘shares’and comments, as it illustrates a more compassionate sideof law enforcement. Implementing social media can establisha more personal connection and put a face on lawenforcement. This connection can demonstrate that policeofficers are there to help – no matter the cost.eComm also monitors social media for mentions ofLASD for reputation management. “We respond to thecommunity to answer questions and prevent misinformationfrom spreading,” Deputy Moore explained. If law enforcementhas a presence on social media, people are morelikely to go to the source for information.SurveillanceSurveillance is integrated into LASD’s social mediamanagement. Keeping an eye out for mentions of illegalactivities or emergencysituations has createda new type of policingdubbed “we’re payingattention policing” byCaptain Parker. As such,the Department hasbeen featured on severalnews media outlets forthe use of social mediasurveillance to preventillegal parties often referredto as “FacebookParties.”Party organizers mayadvertise events openlyon social media, andannounce there will bedrugs and alcohol available.These parties promote underage drinking and druguse. Many have led to violence and gang activities.The eComm unit monitors social media for activitieslike these illegal parties, triages the information and forwardsit to the appropriate unit for response. In some casesthe information is forwarded to neighboring agencies.This surveillance and information sharing allows lawenforcement to intervene and stop the parties before theyhappen. Prior to social media monitoring, police wouldbe called to the parties, usually after fights erupted. Today,fewer parties take place.Deputy Moore explained “we knew advertisements forFacebook parties were there, but when they started advertisingNOZZ (nitrous oxide), alcohol and drugs, we startedmonitoring posts more closely.” Some advertisementsfor the parties state they charge for admission, which mayviolate municipal codes.Deputy Moore emphasized that eComm is not solelysurveillance, but is more focused on community relations.He also noted that LASD provides training for employeesand outside agencies throughout California on socialmedia.To view some of LASD’s social media sites go to:• http://pinterest.com/lacountysheriff/• https://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment• https://twitter.com/LASDTalk• https://twitter.com/LASDChris WWW.NW3C.ORG 13
Page 2 and 3: (4))lupea XCV.M , SCTIONMMY D.This
Page 4 and 5: Preventing Online FraudBy Kim Willi
Page 6 and 7: Superstorm Sandy Disaster Fraud Tas
Page 8 and 9: Virtual PatrolGlobal ‘Tweet-a-tho
Page 10 and 11: Facebook ® PrivacyIn an attempt to
Page 14 and 15: The Salvage Automobile and the Whit
Page 16 and 17: How it affects the community and la
Page 18 and 19: Cybercrime TrendsChild Predators Us
Page 20: The Informant is Moving!The Informa

Informant Vol 10 No 2 - 2013 Spring - National White Collar Crime ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?