Title: Cyber economic crime and commonwealth laws

Authors: Clare Chambers-Jones

Addresses: University of the West of England, England, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY, UK

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to discuss the legal issues affecting Commonwealth countries in terms of virtual/cyber financial crime. Virtual financial crime or cyber financial crime is where acts of fraud, money laundering, etc., take place over the internet. Virtual financial crime is a present and real threat to global economies and creating an international agreement to prevent, detect and punish virtual criminals is an increasing problem for governments and law enforcement agencies. This paper will consider the role of the commonwealth in virtual financial crime and provide two case studies, in part three, namely Australia and Nigeria, whose domestic jurisdictions aim to tackle cyber financial crime and how they draw upon Commonwealth and international legislation for domestic purposes. It will discuss the jurisdictional elements in part four, which the commonwealth should consider in line with more international laws. In part five of the paper technological enforcements that can be used to prevent cybercrime will be examined. Finally the paper will use these Commonwealth jurisdictions as an example of how global regulators could use it to promote a joined up response to virtual financial crime.

Keywords: cybercrime; Commonwealth laws; financial crime; Australia; Nigeria; global regulators; fraud; money laundering; international law; technological enforcement; internet regulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPM.2013.053451

International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 2013 Vol.6 No.1/2, pp.95 - 110

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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