Access to justice for victims of online fraud

Description

This research focused on access to justice for victims of online fraud understood as crimes against property involving non-cash means of payment, committed online with the use of a computer, smartphone or other device connected to the internet, by means of deception (or false representation). Non-exhaustive examples of online fraud crimes relevant for this project are:

1. Investments fraud

2. Consumer fraud

3. Rental fraud

4. Inheritance fraud

5. Extortion 

The goal of this research was to:

• Analyse current EU and national legislation and practice on victims’ rights from the angle of protection of rights of victims of online fraud understood as crimes against property, including in a cross-border context.

• Provide guidance to EU institutions, EU Agencies such as Europol and Eurojust, and Member States, in particular their law enforcement and justice authorities, about how to effectively ensure rights of victims of online fraud understood as crimes against property. 

The findings from the research will be available in this report.