Cybercrime can have devastating consequences, leaving victims not only emotionally and financially shattered but also facing the difficult task of recovering their lost assets. It’s possible to avoid the majority of schemes and protect yourself from cyber attacks, there’s still a chance it could happen. As a result, many people live in fear that their data will be compromised, but it’s important to remember that you’re not a helpless bystander in this situation. By working with the right legal team, you can leverage their experience to take action and recover your assets.
Understanding Cybercrime and Fraud
Unfortunately, it’s no relief to know that the majority of cybercrime and data breaches happen internally for organizations either intentionally or unintentionally. Data breaches realistically come about because someone who lacks the appropriate technical training falls for a phishing scheme or mishandles sensitive data like login credentials. These scenarios are completely preventable with appropriate countermeasures like training seminars and random testing.
All this isn’t to say that complex criminal organizations who actively seek out vulnerabilities in otherwise secure servers don’t exist. It’s much easier and less expensive for hackers to use deceptive tactics to get people to freely give sensitive information. A common example of this is when you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, saying that you owe them money and if you don’t pay at that moment, you’ll go to prison. Someone that knows that the IRS only communicates to taxpayers via mailed letters would never fall for this scheme. However, someone who is less sure will freely divulge private information like home address, bank account and social security numbers, or pay them directly with a credit card.
Although Phishing schemes like this may seem obvious to some people, with the use of AI and “deepfake” technology they’re getting more sophisticated. When a coworker or family member calls and makes a reasonable request for password credentials, people may unknowingly give that information to a fraudster who is using an AI to mimic a familiar voice. This frankly terrifying development is causing many people to create “safe” words or coded language to appropriately identify themselves.
Fighting to Recover Assets
In the event that there is a data breach of any kind, many individuals and organizations feel helpless to take back control of the situation. The process appropriately seems daunting. If someone would be willing to break the law, what could you possibly do to stop them? Recovering your assets is an integral step in maintaining your financial stability and holding the perpetrators accountable. There are many tools available to effectively retrieve these assets and return to normalcy. Working with an attorney with experience in successful asset recovery will be able to provide you with the guidance you need. Here are the primary examples of they ways they can help:
Freezing and Tracing Assets: Every time money is transferred there is a digital paper trail. There’s no such thing as “untraceable” or anonymous bank accounts. With the assistance of legal professionals, you can obtain court orders to freeze the fraudster’s assets and prevent them from dissipating the funds.
International Cooperation: Cybercrime and fraud often transcends borders and requires collaboration across jurisdictions. The right attorney will have an international network of legal professionals and connections that will enable cross-border cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
Conclusion
These legal tactics and others can increase the likelihood of successfully recovering your stolen assets. In some cases, it can even open the door for civil litigation, allowing you to recover damages as well. The earlier you start working with an attorney the better they can advise you on what documentation and information is needed to provide evidence to the appropriate authorities and to demonstrate wrongdoing in the lawsuit.
You are not helpless in the face of cybercrime and fraud. The legal team at Waserstein & Nunez PLLC has extensive experience assisting individuals and organizations in successfully recovering assets. If you are a victim of financial fraud or cybercrime, there is no time to delay. Call our office at 305.563.1011 as soon as possible to schedule a consultation.
Waserstein & Nunez, PLLC
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