Texas Ranked Third in Nation for Internet Crimes

With the growth and popularity of the Internet, it is no wonder a great deal of criminal activity has shifted away from physical, face-to-face interactions and now takes place online. From fraud to identity theft, the Internet can easily be used to unlawfully benefit individuals. It is all too simple to create false personas and transactions to obtain someone’s trust and then their information, money, and/or property. The Internet is also rife for misunderstandings and mistakes, which can lead individuals to be falsely accused of crimes.

If you have been charged with an Internet crime, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at The Law Offices of Ned Barnett. Call (713) 222-6767 today for a free and confidential consultation.

Texas Experiences a High Rate of Internet Crimes

The FBI found Texas ranked third in the nation for Internet crimes in 2015. That year the state had 18,392 victims of online offenses compared to 20,306 in Florida and 34,842 in California. The following year it moved up to second place for the number of victims of Internet crimes. In 2016, Texas had 21,441 victims, surpassing only be California with 39,547.

Types of Internet Crimes

Certain types of crimes are more commonly perpetrated over the Internet than others. After all, the Internet is most helpful for activities that come down to monetary transactions. Common Internet crimes in Texas in both 2015 and 2016 included:

• Non-payment or non-delivery
• Overpayment
• Advanced fee crimes
• Unlawful auction
• Employment offenses
• Credit card fraud
• Personal data breach
• Identity theft
• Extortion

Other online crimes included various types of fraud, misrepresentation, phishing, impersonation, email compromise, viruses, ransomware, and more.

Victim Demographics of Texas Internet Crimes

Anyone can be a victim of Internet crime. It is not something that focuses on a person of a certain age or gender. This is clearly illustrated by the demographics gathered by the FBI.

In 2015, the Texas victims included:

• 630 people under 20
• 3,168 people between 20 and 29
• 4,060 people between 30 and 39
• 3,646 people between 40 and 49
• 3,646 people between 50 and 59
• 3,242 people above 60

In 2016, the victims included:

• 649 people under 20
• 3,141 people between 20 and 29
• 5,043 people between 30 and 39
• 3,586 people between 40 and 49
• 3,253 people between 50 and 59
• 3,298 people over 60

The Cost of Internet Crimes in Texas

These online offenses led to a great deal of financial hardship. The victims of Internet crimes in Texas lost $62,976, 459 in 2015. Shockingly, almost $63 million dollars in financial losses were not even close to Florida’s $94.5 million and California’s $195.4 million losses that year. However, the situation worsened in 2016. Texas victims lost more than $77 million that year. Florida victim’s lost $88.8 million, New York lost more than $106 million and California lost more than $255 million.

Have You Been Accused of an Internet Crime?

If you have been accused of perpetrating a crime over the Internet or being involved with online criminal activity, do not hesitate to reach out to experienced Houston criminal defense lawyer Ned Barnett. He has decades of experience as both a prosecutor and criminal lawyer making him the clear choice for effective and reliable legal representation.

Call The Law Offices of Ned Barnett today at (713) 222-6767 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.