Cyber crime, or digital crime, is any criminal act facilitated by computers, including mobile devices, and IT networks. Additionally, cyber crime also includes traditional crimes, such as stalking, domestic abuse and theft conducted through the Internet. Cyber crime includes a range of different types of offence such as fraud, cyber-stalking or bullying, and identity theft.
Identity theft happens when fraudsters access enough information about someone’s identity (such as their name, date of birth, current or previous addresses) to commit identity fraud. Identity theft can take place whether the fraud victim is alive or deceased. Criminals commit identity theft by stealing your personal information. This is often done by taking documents from your rubbish or by making contact with you and pretending to be from a legitimate organisation.
If you’re a victim of identity theft, it can lead to fraud that can have a direct impact on your personal finances and could also make it difficult for you to obtain loans, credit cards or a mortgage until the matter is resolved.
More information about cyber crime, including how to protect yourself from identity theft, and what to do if you are a victim, can be found on the Action Fraud website.
Information on how to report to Essex Police can be found on the Fraud page of the Essex Police website.