(Washington, D.C.) The Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force (ECTF) in San Antonio, Texas will hold a meeting on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. The South Texas Regional Task Force/Electronic Crimes Task Force is comprised of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as well as private sector companies and representatives from the world of academia.
In accordance with the USA Patriot Act of 2001, the Secret Service established a network of ECTFs, based on the agencys highly successful New York City model. As a result, the Secret Service has generated an unprecedented level of partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the private sector, and academia. The Secret Service, with our partners in South Texas, through the San Antonio Electronic Crimes Task Force, confronts and suppresses technology-based criminal activity perpetrated by transnational criminal groups that endangers the integrity of our nations financial payments systems and critical infrastructure. Further, the Secret Service led group works with its partners to educate and prevent cybercrime.
The Secret Service and its partners have arrested more than 2,000 individuals for cyber-crime violations and prevented more than $5 billion in losses. Notable achievements included the dismantling of a sophisticated hacking group that targeted payment processors and financial institutions involved in processing debit cards which led to massive unlimited ATM withdrawals. The Secret Service also brought to justice the perpetrator of the largest reported hacking scheme against corporate America and extradited one of the most prolific traffickers of stolen financial information.
The San Antonio ECTF investigates crimes that have significant economic or community impact, involve participation of multiple-district or transnational organized criminal groups, and use new technology as a means to commit the crime.
Media Availability
Jan. 20, 2016
Contact: (202) 406-5708
GPA #01-16
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
PRESS RELEASE
On Friday, January 22nd, 2016, the U.S. Secret Service is providing a media availability at the Federal Reserve Bank 402 Dwyer Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78204. The Federal Reserve Bank, San Antonio Branch and HEB, are co-hosting the South Texas Regional Task Force Electronic Crimes Task Force meeting. During the media availability, Secret Service personnel and other individuals from the law enforcement and business communities will give brief remarks regarding the important work of the task force. At the conclusion of these remarks, media outlets will be escorted to a different room and allowed to participate in a brief Q & A with the following agency representatives:
Secret Service,
San Antonio Police Department,
Bexar County Sheriffs Office, Texas DPS CID,
Helotes Police Department,
Bexar County District Attorneys Office,
United States Attorneys Office Western District of Texas,
Atascosa County District Attorneys Office, and the
Corpus Christi Police Department.
The Federal Reserve Bank will make a presentation on the Emerging Payment Systems and the Secret Service will provide additional presentations. This availability will begin at 9:00 a.m. Some of the law enforcement representatives attending this inaugural meeting include the following agencies: San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriffs Office, Texas DPS-CID, Bexar County District Attorneys Office, Atascosa County District Attorneys Office, Helotes Police Department, Corpus Christi Police Department, FBI, U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas, Internal Revenue Service-CID, ICE/HSI, Goliad County Sheriffs Office, Hondo Police Department, Kirby Police Department, La Coste Police Department, Leon Valley Police Department, Live Oak Police Department, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, University of Texas Health Science Center Police Department, US Postal Inspection Service, US Probation, Victoria County Sheriffs Office, and Trinity University Police Department.
The RSVP due date is Thursday, January 21st, 4:00 p.m., (CST). Please respond back to sat.strtf@usss.dhs.gov and include the information below to attend the ECTF press availability:
-Full name
- News organization
- Work email address
- Work phone number
- Cell phone number
About the United States Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service has taken a lead role in mitigating the threat of financial crimes since the agencys inception in 1865. As technology has evolved, the scope of the Secret Services mission has expanded from its original counterfeit currency investigations to also include emerging financial, electronic and cyber-crimes. As a component agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service has established successful partnerships in both the law enforcement and business communities across the country and around the world in order to effectively combat financial crimes.
Source: U.S. Secret Service