Manchester, N.H. – The U.S. Secret Service today welcomed five newly deputized task force officers to the New England Cyber Fraud Task Force (NECFTF).
The NECFTF is composed of officials from state and local law enforcement throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine and is charged with preventing, detecting and mitigating complex cyber-crime threatening payment systems and critical infrastructure. The five new task force officers represent the Concord Police Department, the Grafton County Sheriff’s Office, the Manchester Police Department and the Nashua Police Department.
Since 2017, 90 state and local law enforcement officers in New Hampshire have been trained at the Secret Service National Computer Forensic Institute in Hoover, Alabama, and received more than $500,000 in equipment to conduct more than 3,000 digital forensic exams of more than 600 terabytes of data.
The NECFTF in New Hampshire responds to victims of sophisticated cyber-enabled crimes such as business email compromise scams and ransomware intrusions. Between August 1 and September 30, the Manchester Resident Office assisted in recovering approximately $1.1 million for victims of business email compromise thanks to the collaborative work of the NECFTF.
“The New England Cyber Fraud Task Force multiplies our mission-critical efforts at every level to ensure the ongoing prevention and mitigation of cyber-enabled crime that threatens our economy and communities nationwide,” said U.S. Secret Service Manchester Resident Agent in Charge Timothy Benitez. “I am honored to welcome these new officers today and thank the entire law enforcement community represented for their time and dedication as they stand with us in the ever-evolving fight against crime in cyberspace.”
“Computer-related crimes are a growing threat in New Hampshire and throughout our nation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley. “These new task force officers will provide vital support in the effort to identify and prosecute the criminals who engage in cyber-related crimes. I am grateful to these law enforcement agencies for participating in the NECFTF and look forward to working with these new officers to protect the citizens of the Granite State from cyber fraud.”
Participation in the network of Cyber Fraud Task Forces around the country serves to share expertise and resources necessary for both federal and state and local investigations. Task force officers use this training and equipment on cases ranging from murder, drugs, child exploitation, financial crimes, network intrusions and more.
To learn more about the Secret Service’s network of CFTFs, click here.