2-1-1 Cybercrime Support: Report, Recover, Protect

In July 2019, Heart of West Michigan United Way’s 2-1-1 team added a new tool to their toolbox: cybercrime support.

Made possible through a partnership between Cybercrime Support Network and the U.S. Department of Justice, our 2-1-1 joined United Way Rhode Island and Heart of Florida United Way as one of the first in the country to accept cybercrime reports. Online crime is still new enough that not everyone, including local law enforcement, knows how to respond. Now, victims in Kent County can call 2-1-1 for advice and assistance.

Ruthie Paulson, our Cybercrime Victim Support Specialist, shared a story about a caller she recently helped in the wake of online fraud.

“A caller reported that she had been the victim of an imposter scam where somebody pretending to be a technical support person called and basically intimidated her into believing that there was a dangerous virus on her computer and that she needed to pay a fee to have that resolved,” Ruthie said.

The woman gave the imposter her credit card information and allowed him remote access to her computer before she realized anything was amiss.

“We were able to help her report this to the FBI, but then we also gave her some tips for how to recover after the scam had taken place,” Ruthie said. “We advised her to contact her credit card company and her financial institution to freeze and close those accounts so that the imposter couldn’t continue to make fraudulent charges using her information. Then I advised her that in the future a legitimate technical support company would never contact her in that direct way.”

Not only was Ruthie able to help her notify the proper authorities about the crime, she was also able to give the woman valuable information that will make her better-prepared the next time a suspicious request comes her way.

Reporting cybercrime isn’t just beneficial for the victim. It makes our whole society more resilient.

“The more national reporting data that we have around this the greater chance law enforcement has to catch the criminals and also to decrease cybercrime in general,” Ruthie said.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of cybercrime, cyberstalking or bullying, or another form of online crime, call or email 2-1-1 to get help. Learn more at https://www.hwmuw.org/cybercrime.