Criminality - Europol: More and more Cybercrime - Criminals use AI
Cyberattacks, sexual exploitation of children and financial fraud are the most threatening crimes on the Internet in the European Union according to an analysis by the European Police Office (Europol) in The Hague. Millions of women and men in the EU are daily victims of organized crime online, the analysis reveals. The fraud and the number of young offenders are increasing, according to Europol experts.
The cybercriminals have increasingly targeted small and medium-sized businesses in their sights, whose digital protection measures are less effective. Many people are also victims of Phishing attacks, scams such as Romance Scam (Dating or Love Fraud) or are defrauded by webshops. Concerningly, Europol reports an increase in online child sexual exploitation.
Moreover, the increase in artificial intelligence is alarming. "Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of the toolkit of criminals," it says in the report. So there are increasingly sophisticated extortion methods.
Criminal organizations sell templates on the Internet for fraud, sexual exploitation, or Phishing emails. The scripts for dialogues with minors help sexual predators "refine their grooming techniques".
Moreover, so-called Deepfakes - deceptive forgeries of images and sounds - are reportedly being used extensively. So, voices are copied for shock calls to relatives or friends to extort money or bank access codes. AI is used to falsify videos or images of child sexual exploitation.
- The European Union, concerned about the rise of cybercrimes like Internet fraud and sexual exploitation, is engaging more in international relations to combat these issues.
- The Netherlands, as a member of the European Union, is actively participating in efforts to counter cyberattacks and online criminality, led by the European Police Office in The Hague.
- Love betrayal through Romance Scams, a form of financial fraud, is becoming increasingly prevalent on the Internet, targeting millions of unsuspecting individuals across Europe.
- The use of deepfakes in cybercrime is a significant concern, with criminals exploiting artificial intelligence to create deceptive forgeries of images, sounds, and videos for extortion purposes.
- To combat the growing threat of cyberattacks and cybercrime, Europol is collaborating with various agencies to enhance digital protection measures for small and medium-sized businesses in Europe.
- The increase in organized crime and the number of young offenders involved in cybercrimes is a serious challenge that demands urgent attention and cooperative efforts from European law enforcement agencies.
- The European Union, recognizing the severity of cybercrimes such as online child sexual exploitation, has taken measures to enhance the capabilities of the European Police Office in addressing and combating such criminal activities.
