Computer Crimes Lawyer

Computer crime is using information technology for illegal purposes or for unauthorized admission to a computer system in order to harm, eliminate, or change its data. Computer crimes also include identity theft or committing electronic fraud.

Mr. Dudley has a wealth of experience defending clients accused of computer crimes.

What Are Different Types of Computer Crimes?

Some of these crimes include:

• Hacking: This means accessing a computer system without the owner of the computer knowing it. Once a hacker is able to violate the security protection of a computer, he or she may be able to access a person’s confidential information and use it for self-serving criminal purposes. A hacker might be able to break into someone’s account information at an online store, for example, and discover that person’s name, address, and credit card information.
• Phishing: This is a way for a computer criminal to hook an unsuspecting victim into providing personal information such as passwords or credit card numbers. The phishers get victims to go to fake websites which look just like actual ones.
• Computer viruses: These are computer programs that the criminal is able to insert into some victim’s computer and once in that computer, the program reproduces itself. Viruses can damage computer systems that are in a network by spreading from one computer to the next through the network or through removable tools such as compact discs.
• Identity Theft: This is one of the most dangerous types of computer crime, in which the criminal captures the identity of someone else and is able to steal money or benefits that belong to the victim. Illegally using another person’s credit card is an example of identity theft.
• Cyberstalking: This is using the computer to stalk someone else by, for example, persistently sending them unwelcome emails, spreading malicious rumors about them, or threatening them. Computer criminals often use cyberstalking to victimize women and children. Teenagers have spread rumors about each other, for example, at a high school.

What Is Meant by White-Collar Crimes?

The FBI defines white-collar crimes as illegal acts “characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust which are not dependent upon the application or threat of physical force or violence.”

Mr. Dudley’s expertise and success in defending against white-collar criminal charges are so well known, other attorneys accused of such crimes have asked him to represent them or requested his counsel.

Only a fraction of the white-collar crimes he has defended clients against include:

• Counterfeit and contraband fraud
• Credit card fraud
• Embezzlement
• Insurance fraud, including health insurance criminal charges
• Real estate and mortgage fraud
• Telemarketing fraud

Mr. Dudley also uses an unusual approach to helping clients accused of white-collar crimes. Rather than charging exorbitant hourly fees, Mr. Dudley will propose one flat charge for all of his services in your case.

Computer Crimes: Selected Results:

• P. v. M.W.: While in the process of obtaining her United States citizenship, the defendant was arrested in possession of a substantial amount of counterfeit Microsoft software less than two years after Attorney Dudley had persuaded a court in another state to DISMISS a similar case against her. The district attorney in the new matter filed several serious felony counts against the defendant and subsequently refused to consider any settlement not involving a felony plea. Conducting his own research, Attorney Dudley was able to find an obscure statute, apparently not used by prosecutors in years, the violation of which represented a felony, but not a felony involving moral turpitude which would have prevented her successful naturalization. After the district attorney agreed to let the defendant plead no contest to that statute as a resolution of the case, the defendant received a sentence of PROBATION with no jail time (even though Microsoft attorneys had asked the judge to incarcerate her) and then obtained her American citizenship. After she completed her term of probation, the defense persuaded the judge to DISMISS the case.