Computer Crime

In many businesses, computers have largely replaced paperwork, because they are fast, flexible and do not make mistakes. As one banker said, ‘unlike humans, computers never have a bad day’. And they are honest. Many banks advertise that their transactions are ‘untouched by human hands’ and therefore safe from human temptation. Obviously, computers have no reason to steal money. But they also have no conscience, and the growing number of computer crimes shows that they can be used to steal.

Computer criminals don’t use guns. And even if they are caught, it is hard to punish them because there are no witnesses and often no evidence. A computer cannot remember who used it, it simply does what it is told. The head teller at a New York City bank used a computer to steal more than one and a half million dollars in just four years. No one noticed this theft because he moved money from one account to another. Each time a customer he had robbed asked questions about the balance in his account, the teller claimed a computer error, then replaced the missing money from someone else’s account.

Some employees use the computer’s power to get revenge on employers they consider unfair. Recently, a large insurance company in the USA fired its computer-tape librarian for reasons that involved her personal rather than her professional life. She was given thirty day’s notice. In those thirty days, she erased all the company’s computerized records.

All computer criminals have been minor employees. Now police wonder if this is ‘the tip of the iceberg’. One official said, ‘I have a feeling that there is more crime out there than we are catching. What we are seeing now is all so poorly done. I wonder what the real experts are doing – the ones who really know how a computer works.’

CONVERSATIONAL PRACTICE

Exercise 56 Complete the three telephone conversations. Use the phrases from the box. Role-play the dialogues.

No, it isn’t. I’ll just get her.

Can I take a message?

Great! See you on Sunday at ten. Bye!

Never mind. Perhaps next time. Bye!

This is Jo speaking.

I’ll ring back later.

I’m having a party on Saturday. Can you come?

Can I speak to the manager, please?

I. A: Hello. Can I speak to Jo, please?

B: ...