There are a wide range of illegal activities which occur on the Internet. Illegal activity is divided into two different types:
Criminally illegal activity which is investigated and prosecuted by Law Enforcement Agencies
Civil illegal activity which can be prosecuted by a wide range of civilian bodies.
If you believe your computer, website or email account has been illegally hacked, it’s important to alert the proper authorities as soon as possible. Failing to take action can allow the guilty party to continue preying on other unsuspecting victims. Hacking reports help authorities to not only track down the culprit but also to devise ways to improve security measures and prevent future hacking.
Step 1
Note any unusual activity on your website or with your various online accounts. Make a detailed list of the questionable behaviour, documenting all pertinent details.
Step 2
Contact your Internet service provider or website hosting service. Alerting them of the suspected hacking can help them take action against any security breaches, preventing others from being hacked in a similar fashion. Contact the copyright holder when you suspect a case of copyright infringement, for example from a site that encourages or allows the unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material such as music, movies or other digital files.
Step 3
Report the suspected hacking activities to your local police. The local authorities will be able to use your report to determine if it fits into a pattern, with the information possibly helping track down the responsible parties. Get in touch with your local law-enforcement agency if you have been the victim of fraud via a Web site online. Examples of such cases may be: the misrepresentation of goods or services; the collection and illegal distribution of personal data, such as social security numbers or other forms of identity theft; and trafficking in stolen or illegal goods.
Step 4
Research your individual nation’s laws regarding illegal spamming and hacking attempts. Many countries have established procedures for handing such problems. Understand that different kinds of illegal activity on Web sites may need to be reported to different authorities. If you are in doubt as to who are the proper authorities, contact your local law-enforcement agency to report the Web site. Be prepared to provide the reporting officer with the URL, or Web site address.