First online center to assist victims of cybercrime

Consumers in the United States have lost close to $8.5 billion over the last two years to cybercrime, according to Consumer Reports. In response, McAfee launched the Cybercrime Response Unit, the first online center to aid the diagnosis of cybercrime and help an individual recover from the crime.

The Cybercrime Response Unit helps consumers and small business owners identify if they have been the victim of a cybercrime and recommends next steps. The free online service directs victims to appropriate law enforcement, credit agencies and other resources to address their situation.

The site also provides a forensic scanning tool based on McAfee’s Global Threat Intelligence. It assesses whether an individual has malware running on his or her computer or has visited malicious Web sites that may have stolen personal information.

A squad of specially trained Cybercrime Response Unit Agents is available to assist victims by telephone in the most serious cases. The Cybercrime Response Unit Web site directs those cases to the toll free phone lines as appropriate.

The Cybercrime Response Unit was developed in consultation with leading national cybercrime experts and using resources from the Federal Trade Commission and WiredSafety.org, among others, as well as McAfee’s Initiative to Fight Cybercrime Advisory Council of industry experts.

Specifically, the Cybercrime Response Unit helps people to:

• Determine the likelihood that their computer may be linked to cybercrime
• Take the appropriate steps to report an online crime
• Take the appropriate steps to protect themselves
• Work with the right financial institutions and creditors
• If a business, contact the right authorities in cases of intellectual property theft or copyright infringement
• Avoid being a victim of cybercrime through prevention advice and tips.