EXCLUSIVE: Inside The FBI Cybercrime Battle
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There are so many criminals breaking the law online, the FBI has created a special Top 10 Most Wanted list just for Cybercriminals.
Given rare access, CBS 3's Walt Hunter got a behind-the-scenes look at the Cyber Crime Squad inside Philadelphia FBI Headquarters.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Boone told Hunter the FBI recently added an entire new squad to the unit and is actively recruiting new agents with high-tech training.
"The picture of a cyber criminal, someone sitting in their basement in front of a terminal, that's just not it anymore," Boone explained.
From their Philadelphia office, the agents track criminals online around the world, suspects involved in everything from terrorism and identify theft to bank robberies.
"They are committing traditional crimes in a new way," Boone explained. "You can commit approximately 7,000 bank robberies in 10 minutes online."
Boone says the office now has access to a computer forensics lab, one of only 14 nationwide, and her unit is staffed by computer scientists, basically a "think tank" racing to come up with new technology and solutions to keep agents a step ahead of the criminals they are seeking.
"We're going to see it continue to increase in complexity, so it's not going away anytime soon," Boone concluded, "It's a constant challenge."
