CYBERCRIME

EVERY police officer in Scotland is set to receive specialist cybertraining to boost Police Scotland’s ability to tackle “new and complex crime types”.

The force is stepping up its war on cybercriminals amid a shocking explosion in the number of Scots falling victim to digital offences and the revelation that almost no crime is now without some form of “cyber element”.

A crack unit of 29 digital forensic experts is being recruited to strengthen the ability of the force to gather evidence in an increasingly digital world.

Reported cybercrime has nearly doubled in a year as more people than ever shop, bank, date and socialise online. The latest Annual Police Plan has named “tackling crime in a digital age” as a priority.

A senior officer in charge of cybercrime has urged the public to be vigilant. The officer said: “Anybody can be a victim of digital crime. We increasingly live our lives in a digital space, whereas traditionally that would have been a public space or a private space. It’s now online where the majority of activity is happening. We are seeing a tripling of reports in the last few years. We know that is only the tip of the iceberg. There are now very, very few inquiries and investigations the police are involved in that do not involve some form of cyber element.”

The pandemic is believed to be partly to blame for the exponential rise in digital offences, with more people communicating online due to Covid-19.

In 2020-21, an estimated 14,130 cybercrimes were recorded by Police Scotland – an increase of 95 per cent from 7,240 in 2019-20.

Cybercrimes include offences committed over the “dark web” – “hidden” internet sites only accessible with special software – and sophisticated large–scale frauds.

However, it also covers dating site cons, where crooks pretend to seek romance in order to trick people out of cash or personal details, online shopping scams and fraudulent “bank” emails trying to lure recipients into divulging their passwords.

It can also include sextortion, where criminals disclose or threaten to disclose an intimate image of someone online, and child abuse.

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) – which oversees Police Scotland – is planning a new programme that would involve extra basic training for 14,000 police officers and 2,000 additional staff, with “in-depth learning” for 3,000 personnel. A further 400 people will get training on subjects including the dark web and cryptocurrency.

Digital forensic experts are being recruited to extract evidence and data from electronic devices during investigations into a wide range of crimes, as well as providing expert advice, specialist recovery services and reports for court.

The Annual Police Plan states: “It is anticipated that demand on policing will continue to increase in complexity in terms of advancements and reliance on technology resulting in increased cyberthreats and cyber crime.”