eCrime Unit

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris established the eCrime Unit in 2011. The eCrime Unit is tasked with investigating and prosecuting large scale identity theft and technology crimes with actual losses in excess of $50,000.

The primary mission of the eCrime Unit is to investigate and prosecute multi-jurisdictional criminal organizations, networks, and groups that perpetrate identity theft crimes, use an electronic device or network to facilitate a crime, or commit a crime targeting an electronic device, network or intellectual property.

In addition, the eCrime Unit:

• provides investigative and prosecutorial support to the five California regional high-tech task forces funded through the High Technology Theft Apprehension and Prosecution (HTTAP) Program Trust Fund
• provides investigative, legal, and prosecutorial support for technology crime investigations to those rural counties that are not represented by an HTTAP-funded task force
• provides coordination for out-of-state technology-crime investigation requests
• provides support for technology crime investigations that are initiated by other state agencies
• provides legal support for state-operated digital forensic laboratories
• develops and provides training for judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and the public on the importance of strong information-security practices and evolving technology-related crime issues