Prosecuting White-Collar Crimes amid Technological Advancements · Identity Theft • SingPass –...
Transcript of Prosecuting White-Collar Crimes amid Technological Advancements · Identity Theft • SingPass –...
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Prosecuting White-Collar Crimes
amid Technological AdvancementsTan Ken Hwee
Chief Prosecutor, Financial and Technology Crime Division
Attorney-General's Chamber
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Outline
• Greater use of technology in crime and the necessary response
• “New” types of crime associated with new schemes/grants
– Subsidy Fraud
– Identity Theft
• Scope for sophisticated “cybercrime”
• Harder detection VPNs, TOR, cryptocurrency
• Cross border challenges
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Greater use of technology in criminal activity
• Prevalence of computers, handphones, tablets
• Ease of communications
• Encrypted
• Cross-border
• Digital Evidence
– Often needed, contemporaneous records from vendors/third parties
• Location based information
• Phone Logs
• Financial transaction records
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Evidence in the Twenty-First Century
• Challenging
– Latency
– Volume
• Evidence gathering and evaluation
– Non-destructive imaging
– Predictive Coding or Technology Assisted Review (what is this?)
– Consider
• Email a/c – 300 emails
• Email a/c – 50,000 emails
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Going Upstream
• Traditional method of working:
– Investigations distinct from legal assessment
– May require reiterative work
• Alternative:
– Early Involvement
– Resource Intensive
• Better focused investigations
• Synergistic
• Less re-work required– DPPs can provide guidance, close of unlikely avenues of enquiry, dig in and probe further for
promising areas
• Obtain screening records early, to see patterns and to correlate data
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Outline
• Greater use of technology in crime and the necessary response
• “New” types of crime associated with new schemes/grants
– Subsidy Fraud
– Identity Theft
• Scope for sophisticated “cybercrime”
• Advanced Persistent Threats
• Harder detection VPNs, TOR, cryptocurrency
• Cross border challenges
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Subsidy Fraud
• Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme
– What it is
– How it has been abused
• SkillsFuture
– What it is
– How it has been abused
• Role of Data Analytics
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Identity Theft
• SingPass
– Used for many Govt transactions
– Valuable for (a) selling; (b) stealing
– Can be used to apply for various Govt services
– Form of identity theft
– 2FA
– Longer term – even greater enhancements
• Other forms of Identity Theft
– Fake social media accounts
– Email impersonation with “almost alike” or spoof email a/cs
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Outline
• Greater use of technology in crime and the necessary response
• “New” types of crime associated with new schemes/grants
– Subsidy Fraud
– Identity Theft
• Scope for sophisticated “cybercrime”
• Harder detection VPNs, TOR, cryptocurrency
• Cross border challenges
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Sophisticated Cybercrime?
Not yet (really/significantly) seen in Singapore
• Advanced Persistent Threats
• Ransomware
• TOR/Dark Web
• “Anonymous (crypto)currencies”
– But, some are “virtual” cryptocurrencies
– Disguised Ponzi schemes
– Require quick reaction by enforcement agencies / financial institutions
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Outline
• Greater use of technology in crime and the necessary response
• “New” types of crime associated with new schemes/grants
– Subsidy Fraud
– Identity Theft
• Scope for sophisticated “cybercrime”
• Harder detection VPNs, TOR, cryptocurrency
• Cross border challenges
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Harder detection VPNs, TOR, cryptocurrency
• VPNs – use and abuse
• TOR
• Cryptocurrency – anonymous payments
w/o central clearing house
• The New Arms Race
– E.g. geographical location
– FBI takedown of Dread Pirate Roberts
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Outline
• Greater use of technology in crime and the necessary response
• “New” types of crime associated with new schemes/grants
– Subsidy Fraud
– Identity Theft
• Scope for sophisticated “cybercrime”
• Harder detection VPNs, TOR, cryptocurrency
• Cross border challenges
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Cross-Border
• Borderless nature of Internet – cuts both ways
– Business can spread beyond national borders
– Offenders often hide across borders
• Credit-for-Sex
– What is this?
– $3m in 2015; $1.7m in 2016
– Cooperation with remittance agents to spot likely victims
– Cooperation with Ministry of Public Security in China
• 140 suspects detained
• Traditional Mutual Legal Assistance route may not be responsive enough
– Alternative co-operation routes necessary
• Cloud evidence presents additional complexities
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Conclusion
• Crime has evolved to take advantage of technology
– But the more things change, the more they stay the same
– E.g. cryptocurrency fraud may just be Ponzi in new clothes
• Nevertheless:
– Clear that appropriate evidence gathering and analysis is required
– Clearer understanding of digital forensics is essential
– Cross-border collaboration must be more nimble
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Thank You
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