Embassy Press Release

Remarks of Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman on the Occasion of the Training Seminar for Romanian Prosecutors on Cyber Crime and Cyber Fraud

Ambassador Taubman (L) delivering his remarks on the Occasion of the the Training Seminar for Romanian Prosecutors on Cyber Crime and Cyber Fraud.

- As prepared for delivery -
SECI Center
October 7, 2008

Prosecutor General Kovesi,
Distinguished prosecutors,
Honored guests.

It is often said nowadays that in many respects we live in a “world without borders.” People, goods, and information travel faster and more freely today than ever before. Modern telecommunications and the Internet, in particular, have revolutionized our lives and created a truly global marketplace.

But just as every technological advancement can be exploited for good or ill, our global marketplace has also become a global arena for cyber criminals. It used to be, not so long ago, that if you wanted to steal from someone in another country you had to climb on a plane and travel there. Today, that theft can be accomplished with just a few clever strokes on a computer keyboard.

For Romania as well as for the United States, cyber crime is an urgent problem that we must tackle together. I am therefore very honored to be here at the outset today to lend the support of the United States Embassy to this important training seminar. Cooperation in combating cyber crime and cyber fraud is among the highest priorities of our Embassy, and I am pleased that we – through the Department of Justice and the U.S. Secret Service – are able to bring to you some of our own experts to share their knowledge and experience over the next three days. I hope that you, our Romanian friends, will also actively contribute your own ideas and insights so that we may learn from you, too.

This seminar is a fine example of a public-private partnership designed to fight something that hurts us all. I'm especially pleased that private sector trainers are here representing companies whose operations and customers are the targets of cyber crime. By bringing together Romanian and U.S. prosecutors and law enforcement officials, along with representatives of the High Technology Task Force, we are taking an important step forward in developing the tools we need to fight online crime together.

Internet commerce, including online payment systems and credit cards, are fast and efficient and have made our lives better. But they have also opened new opportunities for criminals, who can now commit crimes from afar and quickly steal huge sums of money using a wide range of fraud schemes. Technology has also made it easier for criminals to hide their tracks and the proceeds of their crimes.

So, law enforcement has to get smarter. Police and prosecutors have to embrace the Information Age, and to use the evidence and footprints left behind online and in payment systems to track down criminals and the illicit proceeds of their crimes. Just as criminals act across borders, law enforcement must also cooperate effectively across international boundaries with other governments and with the private sector.

We are making progress. Law enforcement cooperation is one of the highlights of the strong partnership that the United States enjoys with Romania. Not only do we have a strong track record of working closely together to increase the capabilities of law enforcement, but we are using those capabilities to crack dozens of cases of cross-border crime, resulting in numerous arrests and convictions. That is why we are pleased to support this training, which will enhance our ability to work together. Fighting online fraud and cybercrime is not just a job for specialists anymore.

I hope this will be part of a continuing series of seminars and exchanges designed to link government, law enforcement, and the private sector in the fight against all forms of cyber crime. As you learn from each other this week, I trust you will also learn that the only way to succeed in this battle is to wage it together. Thank you very much.

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