White Collar Crime Is Increasingly Global

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says an increasing number of its cases involving white collar crime, cyber crime and securities fraudare international. In New York, FBI officials discussed efforts tocoordinate with foreign governments and international law enforcementto investigate these crimes. Mona Ghuneim has the story. TheFederal Bureau of Investigation says disappearing trade barriers, theglobal nature of banking today and the Internet are the main reasonswhy crime cases are becoming more and more international.The FBI says international cooperation is essential in investigating everything from terrorist use of the Internet to mortgage fraud to fake charitable websites.Special Agent Teresa Carlson works in the FBI's White Collar Crime Division in New York. She says cyber crimes know no boundaries."Werely upon our partners overseas. We have legal attaches in 59countries, which means FBI personnel are stationed in those countries,"she said. "They cover over 200 countries, I believe, right now and theyassist us in getting things done overseas."Special Agent BenBerry says the legal attaches stationed abroad help to establish directcontacts with foreign law enforcement authorities as well as tofacilitate travel for FBI agents.

Berry says he has seen an increase in worldwide counterfeit scams, credit card fraud, identity theft, and even lottery schemes."WhenI first joined the FBI, it was quite a big deal for an agent to travelfrom New York to Los Angeles," he said. "Now it's routine for an agentin New York to travel halfway across the world."In general,Berry says, international cooperation has been efficient andforthcoming. While alliances have improved, particularly in EasternEurope, Russia, Ukraine and West Africa, the Internet still poses a lotof problems.Berry says the Internet makes it easier for aperpetrator 6,000 miles away to target victims in the United States. Hesays the World Wide Web allows a crime to happen instantly and that time differences can give the perpetrator an advantage.

"Thenature of banking is such where money can be wire-transferredinstantaneously," said Ben. "And given the differences in time zones,oftentimes it makes it very difficult for us to get that money back inany expeditious way, if we can get the money back at all."One ofthe problems, according to the FBI, is the time delay involved whenseeking information from overseas Internet service providers. Oftentimes, these Internet providers are not subject to the same laws andsubpoena rights as in the United States.

The agents say the FBIwill continue to partner with international law enforcement andstrengthen reciprocal alliances to help expedite information.Butthey also say that people should use sound judgment in providing anypersonal information. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.