Published: Thursday, October 23, 2008
It can be a scary world out there in cyberspace
Cyber crime has been with us, well, ever since those series of Internet tubes were invented.
It ranges from sophisticated computer criminals who steal identities and credit card numbers to the silly but somehow successful online swindlers who persuade people to withdraw their life savings due to some sob-story e-mail or a nutty get-rich scheme.
It also includes pimps who advertise prostitutes on Craigslist, drug dealers who advertise on Craigslist, and people who steal stuff and sell it on Craigslist. Not to pick on Craigslist.com -- the majority of these types of criminals then go on to brag about what they've done on MySpace.com.
A Wenatchee man recently spotted a Craigslist ad selling snowmobile parts -- which caught his attention because the parts were from a snowmobile of the same make and model that was stolen from him in January. He contacted police, who were able to track down a suspect in Stanwood through the ad … and his MySpace page, which had the obligatory bragging and photos of stolen goods. The man surrendered to police, and admitted stealing snowmobiles and selling the parts.
Certainly, if you've had something stolen, it doesn't hurt to look for it, or other evidence, on Craigslist, or eBay. That way police might have something to go on.
Another area of online crime that people need to be wary of is the bogus job offer, which can lead to being duped, or dead. The man who robbed an armored truck guard in Monroe last month used a Craigslist ad to hire a dozen unsuspecting decoys to be in the area as he made his getaway. The ad was for a prevailing-wage job -- $28.50 an hour -- for a road maintenance project. Those who inquired were told to show up to work wearing a "yellow vest, safety goggles, a respirator mask ... and, if possible, a blue shirt." Turns out that's also what the robber wore.
Sadly, this month marks the anniversary of Katherine Olson's death. The young Minnesota woman was murdered last year after answering a Craigslist ad seeking a nanny. A 19-year-old suspect was quickly arrested and is awaiting trial. The Olson family doesn't blame Craigslist, which Katherine had used before to get jobs.
Katherine's older sister, Sarah Richter, told the "Today" show last week: "I think we all woke up that morning -- young adults across the country, across the world, for that matter -- and realized this is not the same world. When we go online now, it's truly meeting a stranger. It's not getting a college, getting an apartment or getting a job interview. It's a different world." Word to the wise.
It ranges from sophisticated computer criminals who steal identities and credit card numbers to the silly but somehow successful online swindlers who persuade people to withdraw their life savings due to some sob-story e-mail or a nutty get-rich scheme.
It also includes pimps who advertise prostitutes on Craigslist, drug dealers who advertise on Craigslist, and people who steal stuff and sell it on Craigslist. Not to pick on Craigslist.com -- the majority of these types of criminals then go on to brag about what they've done on MySpace.com.
A Wenatchee man recently spotted a Craigslist ad selling snowmobile parts -- which caught his attention because the parts were from a snowmobile of the same make and model that was stolen from him in January. He contacted police, who were able to track down a suspect in Stanwood through the ad … and his MySpace page, which had the obligatory bragging and photos of stolen goods. The man surrendered to police, and admitted stealing snowmobiles and selling the parts.
Certainly, if you've had something stolen, it doesn't hurt to look for it, or other evidence, on Craigslist, or eBay. That way police might have something to go on.
Another area of online crime that people need to be wary of is the bogus job offer, which can lead to being duped, or dead. The man who robbed an armored truck guard in Monroe last month used a Craigslist ad to hire a dozen unsuspecting decoys to be in the area as he made his getaway. The ad was for a prevailing-wage job -- $28.50 an hour -- for a road maintenance project. Those who inquired were told to show up to work wearing a "yellow vest, safety goggles, a respirator mask ... and, if possible, a blue shirt." Turns out that's also what the robber wore.
Sadly, this month marks the anniversary of Katherine Olson's death. The young Minnesota woman was murdered last year after answering a Craigslist ad seeking a nanny. A 19-year-old suspect was quickly arrested and is awaiting trial. The Olson family doesn't blame Craigslist, which Katherine had used before to get jobs.
Katherine's older sister, Sarah Richter, told the "Today" show last week: "I think we all woke up that morning -- young adults across the country, across the world, for that matter -- and realized this is not the same world. When we go online now, it's truly meeting a stranger. It's not getting a college, getting an apartment or getting a job interview. It's a different world." Word to the wise.
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