Computer frauds

Computer fraud is the act of using a computer to commit fraud (a deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unlawful gain). Computer fraud is a criminal offense punishable by jail time and fines under the Computer fraud and Abuse Act. The Computer fraud and Abuse Act is a law passed by the United States Congress in 1986 intended to reduce "hacking" of computer systems. It was amended in 1994, 1996 and in 2001 by the USA PATRIOT Act.
Computer fraud covers a variety of activities wich are harmful to people. Computer fraud is using the computer in some way to commit dishonesty by obtaining an advantage or causing loss of something of value. This could take form in a number of ways, including program fraud, hacking, e-mail hoaxes, auction and retail sales schemes, investment schemes and people claiming to be experts on subject areas. Students who may be committing a computer fraud or being taken advantage of by a person committing computer fraud can easily be using school equipment when this takes place. That is why it is important for educators to have knowledge of this area of computer crime.
On the contrary students in any grade level can easily be victims of computer fraud. Educating the students what to look for to be able to trust the information that they are receiving over the Internet is a useful skill for the students to learn. One issue of computer fraud that educators and students will most likely encounter would be obtaining false information while researching on the Internet. Students must learn to be skeptical of information on the Internet and learn the signs of good and bad websites. The students should also be aware of other computer frauds such as spyware and viruses, pop-up advertisements, hackers, health frauds, hoaxes and other scams that people try to use on the Internet.
Fraud classification: the alteration or copying of system input; the theft of processing capabilities due to unauthorized use; the unauthorized duplication, deletion, modification, or installation of software; the unauthorized duplication, deletion, or modification of data; the theft or misuse of system output.
Anyone who uses the Internet is a potential candidate for being a victim of computer crime. The following guidelines are set up by the Department of Justice to help computer users in the section titled How Should I Deal With Internet Fraud? So, Don't Judge by Initial Appearances; Be Careful About Giving Out Valuable Personal Data Online; Be Especially Careful About Online Communications With Someone Who Conceals His True Identity and Watch Out for "Advance-Fee" Demands.
Computer fraud can be the most devastating thing that will ever happen to you and it is dangerous because you can become a victim without even knowing about it. If you want to keep computer fraud from happening to you, then you owe it to yourself to invest in solid protection against computer fraud and to have Secure Internet Explorer Browser Security and Private Internet Explorer privacy manager on your PC.
If you have been the victim of internet or computer fraud, you may wish to speak with a qualified attorney to discover your legal rights and options in a case. If you have suffered losses because of internet or computer fraud you may be able to recover your damages.