Comments on: Freeze! The Cold Hard Facts on Bank Robberies in 2009 http://thefinancialbrand.com/11152/bank-robberies-drop-in-2009-despite-economy/ Ideas and insights for financial marketers. Thu, 17 May 2012 00:33:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Editor http://thefinancialbrand.com/11152/bank-robberies-drop-in-2009-despite-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-5625 Editor Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:14:39 +0000 http://thefinancialbrand.com/?p=11152#comment-5625 Good question Jason. I'm sure the FBI tracks that data, but they don't lump it into their "Bank Crime Statistics" reports. I'm guessing they categorize the crimes you're asking about under "Fraud." My observations about most criminals: (1) They aren't usually very bright. If they were smarter, they'd realize it takes about the same amount of work to make an honest living. (2) They are very lazy. They'll do whatever is easiest. Learning computers is hard. Picking up a gun is easy. (3) They almost never plan ahead. A little foresight would keep 50% of criminal out of prison. But when they need money for drugs (or whatever), they usually need it right away, so they rob banks. Good question Jason. I’m sure the FBI tracks that data, but they don’t lump it into their “Bank Crime Statistics” reports. I’m guessing they categorize the crimes you’re asking about under “Fraud.”

My observations about most criminals: (1) They aren’t usually very bright. If they were smarter, they’d realize it takes about the same amount of work to make an honest living. (2) They are very lazy. They’ll do whatever is easiest. Learning computers is hard. Picking up a gun is easy. (3) They almost never plan ahead. A little foresight would keep 50% of criminal out of prison. But when they need money for drugs (or whatever), they usually need it right away, so they rob banks.

]]> By: Jason Sherrill http://thefinancialbrand.com/11152/bank-robberies-drop-in-2009-despite-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-5624 Jason Sherrill Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:11:59 +0000 http://thefinancialbrand.com/?p=11152#comment-5624 I've not researched it myself, but I'm curious whether banks have seen an increase in technology-perpetrated thefts during this same time period? Have the total losses due to theft in any form increased, decreased or remained flat over that time period? In other words, is the nature of the crime against banks shifting to electronic & indirect means such as ID theft, credit card fraud and social engineering attacks? It seem that it would be far easier and more profitable to pull off that type of theft today than to go through all of the hassle and risk involved in an old fashioned "stick em up" type of robbery. Just like so many other careers, my expectation would be that thieves are more productive using technology than using the old manual ways of getting the "job" done. -- Jason I’ve not researched it myself, but I’m curious whether banks have seen an increase in technology-perpetrated thefts during this same time period? Have the total losses due to theft in any form increased, decreased or remained flat over that time period?

In other words, is the nature of the crime against banks shifting to electronic & indirect means such as ID theft, credit card fraud and social engineering attacks? It seem that it would be far easier and more profitable to pull off that type of theft today than to go through all of the hassle and risk involved in an old fashioned “stick em up” type of robbery.

Just like so many other careers, my expectation would be that thieves are more productive using technology than using the old manual ways of getting the “job” done.

– Jason

]]>