Crime - Internet crime scene: Cybercrime remains a "growth industry"
The internet as a crime scene: the number of proceedings at the Bavarian Central Office for Cybercrime has risen. After 15,781 cases in 2022, the special public prosecutor's office based in Bamberg had already registered almost 18,000 cases by mid-December 2023. "This means that cybercrime unfortunately remains a growth industry," said Senior Public Prosecutor Thomas Goger to the German Press Agency. He is the deputy head of the special public prosecutor's office. "The Internet is still in the process of penetrating even the last area of life, with the result that criminals are also finding new fields of activity."
The central office, which is based at the Bamberg Public Prosecutor General's Office, has also continued to grow in terms of personnel. "There are now 25 public prosecutors working at the ZCB. Nine years ago, we started with two public prosecutors. That is more than impressive. We are very pleased that we are not only getting more work, but that we are also being given more staff."
Firewood or Playstation - the danger of fake shops
One focus in 2023 was the phenomenon of fake stores. "The threat level for consumers is high," emphasized Goger. And: there is a huge dark field. Many victims who have not lost large sums of money lack the time and nerve to report this to the police. In this phenomenon, online purchases are paid for - but the consumer never receives the goods.
However, the Bamberg specialists have been successful in the fight against fake stores: At the end of November, for example, charges were brought in the case of fake stores for solar modules. Goger said that this example shows that fakeshop operators are always based on social trends. A new Playstation is on the market? Ideal for fake stores.
"At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, it was masks and disinfectants. Now, in the age of the energy transition, it was solar and photovoltaic modules," the expert explained. When the fear of a cold winter with a shortage of heating goods spread in 2022, firewood and pellets were suddenly offered in fake stores. "The perpetrators already have a very good sense of what's going on in the illegal online trade."
AI helps in the search for fake shops
However, the Central Cybercrime Unit is also sharpening its tools: "We have entered into a cooperation with an Austrian research institute in order to be able to use an AI-supported fake store detector to get involved in investigations a little faster." Because the problem is: "When the victims go to the police and file a complaint, in the vast majority of cases the fake store no longer exists. If the fake store can no longer be found online, then all technical traces are basically already cold."
The aim is therefore, at best, to find potential fake stores before anyone is harmed. Goger and his colleagues have observed that the area of fake stores has become much more professional. Appropriate technical tools for creating a fake store can now be easily acquired, meaning that even less technically savvy offenders can become active in the field.
"The result of this mechanization is that all steps of the fraud, including the flow of money, can be carried out online via professional money laundering systems, theoretically from anywhere in the world with internet access." Investigations therefore often have to be conducted in many countries at the same time.
Central Cybercrime Unit
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The rise in cybercrime cases at the Bavarian Central Office for Cybercrime, located in Bamberg's Public Prosecutor General's Office, signals its continued growth, with 17,966 cases reported by mid-December 2023, making cybercrime a "growth industry." This trend is attributed to the Internet's pervasive presence, enabling criminals to discover new areas of activity.
Thomas Goger, the deputy head of the specialized public prosecutor's office, emphasized that the online marketplace is expanding, creating opportunities for fake shops to proliferate. One such phenomenon in 2023 was the emergence of fake stores offering goods like solar modules or PlayStations, cashing in on consumer demand.
The police have had success in combating these fake shops, such as with charges brought against operators selling solar modules in late November 2023. Goger highlighted that fakeshop operators capitalize on current trends to remain profitable.
Recognizing the need for more efficient tools, the Central Cybercrime Unit is collaborating with an Austrian research institute to deploy an AI-assisted fake store detector. This initiative aims to act more swiftly in investigations and prevent harm before it occurs, given that once victims file complaints, many fake stores disappear from the internet.
Goger shared his concerns over the increasing professionalism in fake-store creation. With readily available technical tools, even less tech-savvy offenders can participate in the fraudulent market, making it harder to trace. This development allows for fraudulent activities, such as monetary transactions, to be conducted online and potentially across borders, necessitating international investigations.
Source: www.stern.de
