State Police Start Web Crimes Unit ; Victims May Report Wrongdoing Via Internet
By JEREMY PELZER STATE CAPITOL BUREAU
For anyone who’s still waiting on a rich payday from a Nigerian bank, the Illinois State Police has the Web site for you.
State police officials Wednesday launched a new Internet Crimes Unit to provide a “one-stop shop” for Illinois residents to report online crime, which can include anything from identity theft to a sex predator stalking a child in a chat room.
Victims can report crimes to the new unit through a new Web site, http://www.isp.state.il.us/icu, or by calling (888) 702-7463.
When a report comes in, analysts will examine it and forward the information to the proper law enforcement agency – be it a local police station, the FBI or Interpol.
The unit’s staff of 30 also includes forensic investigators placed around the state to respond to Internet crimes reported in their area.
Internet crimes reported to local or state police also will be forwarded to the ICU, said Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent.
Such a centralized system will allow the state police to address Internet crimes more efficiently and aggressively, Trent said.
Until now, he said, Internet crime victims often haven’t known where to report an Internet crime.
In addition, he said, such victims often are confused about how, why and by whom they were preyed upon.
The ICU Web site includes information on what to do after falling victim to an online crime, as well as prevention tips. There also are links to Web sites that debunk online hoaxes and scams, such as e-mails from purported bankers in Nigeria who promise millions of dollars in exchange for a bank account number.
The site also features an online workshop for children to learn about being safe while surfing the Internet.
The new unit is on the “cutting edge” of online law enforcement, said Lt. Col. Craig Allen, head of special operations for the Illinois State Police.
“There’s no model to follow,” Allen said. “We think that a few years from now, other (states) will be doing this.”
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