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More hackers surfing Internet crime wave

20/08/06

The Daily Yomiuri reports that there were 1,802 cybercrimes committed during the first six months of this year, a rise of 190 cases when compared with the same period last year and the highest figure recorded since the National Police Agency started keeping records on Internet-related offenses in 2000.

The increase was especially noticeable in violations of the Unauthorized Computer Access Law, which rose by 34 percent on last year's figure, to 265 cases, according to an NPA report disclosed Thursday.

Previously, illicit-access crimes were mainly committed by individuals in their 20s and 30s, but recently, the age range has been widening.

Among 63 people caught accessing information on the Internet illegally, 14 were teenagers, and the youngest was a 14-year-old middle school student.

In April, a 61-year-old man was arrested for illegally accessing a computer belonging to his former company and copying personal data of 6,000 individuals. He was the first sexagenarian to be charged for cybercrime.

Forty percent of all Internet crimes were fraud-related, mostly involving Internet auction scams--a 9 percent rise from a year ago.

The number of cases involving online sales of child pornography increased to 97, up 43 percent, while cases related to child prostitution rose to 169, up 18 percent.

Violations of the Trademark Law, including Internet sales of fake branded goods, doubled to 106 cases, matching the figure for the whole of 2005.