With people doing so much more on the internet, but doing little to protect their private information, identity theft continues to be rampant. However, the government and other agencies are attempting to crack down on internet crime by ramping up online security efforts to catch individuals who defraud, steal, or commit other types of internet crimes.
If you face criminal charges in this area, you could be subject to very serious and severe penalties, including a lengthy prison sentence and costly restitution fines. Such crimes fall under federal jurisdiction, and the government takes these types of crimes very seriously, even if the criminal activity relates to a minor offense.
Far-Reaching Consequences
Federal prosecution occurs due to the far-reaching nature of internet crimes. While a crime may seem minor, when combined with others, it all adds to billions of dollars in financial losses. According to the cyber security provider LifeLock, the criminal act of skimming credit and debit card numbers alone costs Americans $8 billion a year.
Repairing the damage from fraud and identity theft is costly, lengthy and sometimes irreversible. Cyber crimes also threaten national security, and even lesser activity allows for easier access and availability for more dangerous criminals, such as terrorists. The ease with which technology connects people throughout the U.S. and world means that, regardless of intent, these types of crimes often reach and affect more people.
A good criminal defense
For these reasons, if you are facing criminal charges related to an internet crime, it is important to secure experienced legal representation. The judicial system will not go easy on you simply because of a clean criminal record or limited scope of victims. However, neither should you receive more punishment than is just for the circumstances.
Criminal convictions of any kind, let alone those on the federal level, can harm your reputation, make finding employment difficult, destroy your finances and disrupt your life through prison sentences and other penalties. Even a misdemeanor comes with immediate and long-term negative effects. It takes a high level of skill and knowledge to defend these complicated cases.
