Take firm action against lottery scammers and cybercrime criminals

THE EDITOR, Madam:

IT IS without question that the crime problem is escalating and getting out of control. Among them are the high levels of lottery scamming and cybercrime taking place. Various news reports published in The Gleaner outline the increasing numbers of people whose bank accounts have been hacked online and their monies illegally withdrawn. This level of cybercrime within the local banking and financial sectors is cause for much concern and demands immediate action.

Banks need to implement a clear policy for a timeframe for customers, whose accounts have been hacked, to be refunded. Banks also need to state what measures are being put into place to mitigate the hacking of their customers’ bank accounts. Is there a working and professional relationship with the banks and the JCF’s Cyber Crimes Unit? Is the Cyber Crimes Unit of the JCF adequately resourced and staffed to successfully tackle cybercrime cases? Do they have the latest investigative equipment to thoroughly investigate the complex cybercrimes?

It is my informed view that telecommunications companies need to wake up and begin to implement special procedures and policies to investigate cases of their customers’ cell numbers cloned and modems being hacked. All their employees should be specially vetted and cleared by MOCA and the

National Intelligence Bureau before they are placed in senior technical positions. SIM card fraud is also taking place as recently highlighted by a RJR news report.

Quite recently, a few high-profile lottery scammers were arrested in Montego Bay and extradited to the United States, which I am thankful for because whenever the scammers are arrested in the United States and convicted they are receiving lengthy imprisonment terms up to 15 years. The law must be amended in Jamaica so that convicted scammers and cybercrime criminals face mandatory minimum sentences of no less than 10 years.

The scammers and cybercrime criminals are destroying this country, damaging the financial sector, every one of them must be found, arrested and convicted in the courts and apply the Proceeds of Crime Act to their assets and seize all their assets on conviction. They are a national disgrace of monumental proportions and some firm action is now required to cauterise this situation.

The majority of murders taking place in western Jamaica may be in some way related to scamming. The police needs to take firm action to quell this scourge.

FRANK MANBORDE President

Jamaica United Local Government Representatives Association

Grange Hill PO, Westmoreland